Cousin of late rocker Kurt Cobain to speak
at local suicide awareness vigil on September 9

Bev Cobain, cousin of late rock star Kurt Cobain (front man for the band Nirvana), will be the keynote speaker for an upcoming suicide awareness vigil sponsored by the Raft Crisis Hotline, a program of New River Valley Community Services. The event will take place on Thursday, September 9
at the Virginia Tech Drillfield,
beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Bev is a Registered Nurse, with
credentials in psychiatric/mental health nursing. Her own struggle with depression and the suicides of three family members--most recently the 1994 death of her young cousin, Kurt--ignited a passion in Bev to educate professionals, lay persons, and youth about depression and the significant public health issue of suicide. Her desire to educate resulted in her writing the acclaimed book, "When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens", published in 1998; and developing the Living Matters web site to provide an additional avenue to share her knowledge and experience of youth depression and suicide.

Ms. Cobain is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and workshop leader on the issues of youth depression awareness and suicide prevention/intervention. She was recently presented with the 2001 Youth Suicide Prevention Award for the State of Washington by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Northwest Chapter. In addition Ms. Cobain has been the recipient of the National Mental Health Association's Green Ribbon Award recognizing her efforts on behalf of youth depression awareness.

Bev has been consulted on appropriately depicting suicide during the creative process of media productions. She has provided insight on safe media coverage during the aftermath of public violence and/or suicide. Ms. Cobain has also worked on media projects with Time-Warner/Court TV, CNN, Fisher Broadcasting (KOTV), Oregon Public Broadcasting, and has appeared on numerous TV and radio broadcasts.

Bev has served on the Kitsap County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board; the Kitsap Suicide Prevention Task Force; and the Washington State Youth Suicide Prevention Committee.

Bev is currently a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Northwest Chapter, and the American Association of Suicidology. She has practiced psychiatric nursing, for the past 10 years, in a hospital-based mental health unit working with depressed and suicidal patients aged 13 years and older.

Below is the itinerary for Bev’s visit to our area:
September 9, 2010 3:00 pm – Book Signing at Books A Million, Blacksburg
September 9, 2010 6:30 pm – Suicide Awareness Vigil on Virginia Tech Drillfield
(Rain location: Squires Student Center Brush Mountain Rooms, 4:30 pm)

Note: Both events are open to the public.