Finding a Reason to Smile: Casey Szmata's Journey from Grief to Advocacy

Suicide is a difficult topic, but it's one we can't afford to shy away from. By starting these conversations, we aim to break the silence, provide support, and share resources that can save lives. Hi, I'm your host, Cara Jones, and this is the Starting Conversations podcast. Whether you're directly affected or simply want to be part of the solution, the Starting Conversations podcast is here to inform, inspire, and empower.

In today's episode, Casey Szmata shares her story of experiencing debilitating grief after the tragic loss of her daughter by suicide and how, through her grief, she embraced the mission to bring support and resources to the North by opening a Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention in Grimshaw, Alberta.

Casey reflects on the challenges she faced, the community's support, and the impactful initiatives launched in the past year. From youth programs to support groups for men and women, Casey's dedication shines through as she continues to fight against suicide and promote life.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the Starting Conversations podcast. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health in Alberta, you can find resources by visiting our website, startingconversations.ca.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Suicide is a difficult topic, but it's one we can't afford to shy away from.
By starting these conversations, we aim to break the silence,
provide support, and share resources that can save lives.
Hi, I'm your host, Cara Jones, and this is the Starting Conversations podcast.
Whether you're directly affected or simply want to be part of the solution,

(00:20):
the Starting Conversations podcast is here to inform, inspire, and empower.
This episode is sponsored by Sean Sargent Toyota, a long-standing supporter
of the Resource Center for Suicide Prevention.
Sean Sargent Toyota is committed to offering the most incredible Toyota specials,
promotions, and deals in Grand Prairie, Alberta, and surrounding area.

(00:41):
We thank you, Sean Sargent Toyota, for supporting meaningful conversations that save lives.
In today's episode, Casey Samada shares her story of experiencing debilitating
grief after the tragic loss of her daughter by suicide,
and how through her grief, she embraced the mission to bring support and resources
to the North by opening a resource center for suicide prevention in Grimshaw, Alberta.

(01:09):
Casey, can you tell me a little bit about how the location in Grimshaw came
to be and what inspired you to want to make this location accessible to everybody in the Northwest?
Yes, for sure. I guess my story goes a few years back to 2012.
Prior to 2012, I really didn't know much about suicide.

(01:32):
I hadn't heard a lot about it. I had no idea that the Resource Center for Suicide
Prevention existed until the tragedy happened in my family.
On December 22nd of 2012, 12, my daughter Morgan died by suicide.
It was totally unexpected. There was no signs. There was no signal that she was having issues.

(01:55):
She was happy. She was looking forward to the future. She was in college.
Just no indicators that pointed to her struggling.
So after she passed away, my life kind of was on hold.
It's a very difficult thing to lose your child and to find her the way I did.

(02:20):
I guess I had given up on life. I spent some time in the hospital on suicide
watch myself. I just lost the will to live.
And through it all, I had family and friends that bent over backwards to pick
me up and keep me alive, basically.
There's many stories I could tell that had me on my knees, but they're in the

(02:43):
past and grateful to be here.
Throughout that journey, I came to realize quite quickly that the North didn't
have a lot of resources for bereaved parents that had lost a child to suicide.
There were bereavement groups, but suicide bereavement is just a little bit different.
Different trauma, different pain. So I actually attended bereavement group here

(03:08):
in Grand Prairie with the Resource Center for Suicide Prevention.
And I was living in Grimshaw at that time. So it was basically a two-hour drive in the winter months.
So I missed a few because of weather.
And it was just hard to get that camaraderie with the other participants.
But yet I knew that the material was so important and that I needed it so much.

(03:32):
At that time, it really dawned on me that the resources were lacking in our area.
So my family and I got together and we decided we'd start a foundation in honor of Morgan.
And it's funny, she had a tattoo on her foot that said, always find a reason to smile.
So that's the name we used for our foundation for her.

(03:52):
So it started out very small. We did some barbecues and a few fundraisers here
and there. And people were very supportive.
I mean, we're from the area, so people wanted to support our initiative.
And in memory of Morgan, they wanted to step up.
So it was really great to see community become involved.

(04:12):
And soon Always Find a Reason to Smile began to grow. And I began visiting schools
and talking to kids about suicide.
We started making presentations. And like I say, it just grew and grew to the
point that we were kind of stuck at what to do next, right?
I knew we needed a center in the north, but I didn't know how to go about it.

(04:35):
And then I had ran into the executive director at a meeting in Fairview after
our town there had suffered a few suicides.
And I got to thinking, well, maybe we could extend the office from Grand Prairie
into the north region. So I made an appointment and I met with the executive
director and he loved the idea.

(04:56):
So I thought instead of reinventing the wheel for always find a reason to smile,
the best way would be to hop right into an organization that had all of the
procedures and policies in place.
So that went to the board of the RCSP here in Grand Prairie, and that was approved.

(05:17):
So we started looking for a location in the north, and we chose Grimshaw because...
It's kind of central to all of the areas up there. It's a vast area,
so somewhere central just made sense.
So we approached the town of Grimshaw, and they were on board.
They know the need. They know the importance of suicide prevention.

(05:40):
So we made a deal with them on a building in Grimshaw, and we got to work with
volunteers, and we painted and renovated, and we opened in June of 2023. 23.
You've done a lot since you've opened in a year.
And I'm interested to hear a little bit about what you have noticed when it

(06:01):
comes to running prevention initiatives.
What kind of feedback have you gotten? And have you seen more people smiling
in regards to the supports they're getting?
So it's been a really busy year. When I think it's only been a year,
it's like, oh my gosh, all the things that we've done.
First off, I have a great group of volunteers that I need to thank because what

(06:26):
I do up there couldn't be done without all of them and their support.
So I'm very grateful for that.
I've tried to do a wide range of different programming just to satisfy so many
different areas as far as youth and seniors and men and stay-at-home moms.
It's difficult, but it's so rewarding when you finish a group or you finish

(06:51):
a program and you can actually see a change in people.
I think what's impressed me the most is the amount of men that are stepping
forward saying, I need help.
And that just, it warms my heart because I know it's such a difficult thing
for them to do. So I really find gratitude in that.
Working with the kids, going into the schools talking about bullying and language

(07:14):
that they use with each other.
That always gets me right in the heart.
There's a lot of children suffering these days with being bullied and being
called names and being told horrible things.
And it just is a matter of taking the kids, sitting them down and teaching them
that this is what's happening when you're saying this.

(07:35):
And this is what's happening when you're doing this.
So I really find that they They open up and they're very, they're just very
emotional when they realize what they're causing by name calling and all of that sort of stuff.
So that's been really amazing.
Our ladies group is another thing I'm really proud of. At any given week,

(07:58):
we have about 20 to 25 ladies that come in for a monthly luncheon.
And at that luncheon, we discuss ways that we could reach out to our community
and ways that we can help people who are suffering.
One big event that we did in, geez, I think it was April.
We set up a townwide food drive for our local food bank. The numbers that they're

(08:22):
catering to are just outrageous.
So we know that the numbers at the food bank are going up constantly.
And of course, that's one of the things that people struggle with when they
can't feed their family, right? So that leads to depression.
It can lead to mental illness. So we thought that's one way that we can band

(08:44):
together and perhaps help somebody out of that.
The community, once again, stood on their head for us. We had so much food.
I don't think I've ever seen that much food.
But it was awesome, and the food bank was very happy.
And I know that a lot of mouths got fed, and I'm sure a lot of peace of mind
went through our community. So really, prevention looks like a lot of things.

(09:08):
It's a really complex socioeconomic.
And if you look at the social determinants of health, right,
and the things that you were just talking about, they're complex.
Everyone has different needs and different experiences.
And you've seen this happen this year with everyone coming forward.
What's something you'd like to see happen in the future with the center?

(09:30):
Just reflecting on what you've seen this year, what would you like to see happen?
Honestly, I would just like to continue to have people joining us,
continue to help have them join our fight against suicide.
It's not just suicide prevention, it's life promotion. That's worthwhile in itself.
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the Starting Conversations podcast.

(09:55):
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health in Alberta,
you can find resources by visiting our website, startingconversations.ca.