Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany

The Naval Branch Health Clinic Albany sailors’ kick-off of the Hot Summer Nights 5K Run/Walk for Mental Health Awareness and Tobacco Cessation was cancelled due to inclement weather.

The activity, which was scheduled to be held at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany’s Covella Pond, Sept. 10, was initially organized with a dual purpose, according to Petty Officer 1st Class Kishan Jeffers, leading petty officer, NBHC Albany.

Jeffers said the purpose of the event was to bring awareness to the dangers associated with tobacco products use as well as to raise consciousness of mental health issues, particularly suicide.

“We titled the event ‘Mental Health Awareness (and Tobacco Cessation)’ because there are a lot of things that go into that,” Jeffers pointed out. “Excessive drinking, depression, etcetera; a lot of it is behavioral-health driven, so we just gave it the umbrella of mental health.

“Usually, those two topics have nothing to do with one another,” Jeffers added. “They relatively have nothing in common. However, we chose to combine the two to promote one quality event. Of course, tobacco use is dangerous, but the month of September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. And, that is something that affects a lot (of people) -- not only Americans, but also people around the world.

“Here are some of the statistics,” he continued. “In 2013, in the U.S., suicide was the second leading cause of deaths for those ages 15 through 34. It was the fourth leading cause of deaths for those 35 through 44 and it’s the tenth leading cause of deaths in all populations. For every suicide death, there are at least 25 (unsuccessful) suicide attempts.”

Jeffers attributes the statistics on suicide deaths to information he retrieved from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center's website: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/Documents/health-promotion-wellness/psychological-emotional-wellbeing/Suicide_Infographic.pdf.

Although a forecast of possible evening thunderstorms forced the planners/organizers to postpone the activity, Jeffers said he was hopeful the5K run/walk would be rescheduled at some point in the next few weeks.

The 2014 event recorded roughly 80 participants and the NBHC corpsmen were anticipating a combined number of runners, walkers as well as other family members/supporters for the 2015 event, Jeffers explained.