Chat4Chad funds crucial mental health initiative for suicide grief

A new partnership between Chat4Chad and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is hoping to bring support for families dealing with a suicide. 

Launched in the fall of 2025, the Suicide Grief Support Group is offering a second eight-week session scheduled to begin on January 21. 

Chat4Chad is a North Bay based charity founded by Wade Ringler in memory of his brother, Chad Ringler, a firefighter who died by suicide, to raise funds and awareness for mental health, especially for youth, first responders, and those needing support, promoting open conversations with the motto “Early, Often, Now” to break down stigma and fund local resources like therapy and wellness programs.

“Everything with Chat4Chad is about building partnerships and building communities,” explained Wade Ringler.  

“So when we were trying to decide where funds would be best placed. We went through a process, and CMHA is one of our partners that put together this suicide grief support, which is really special because it’s something that doesn’t exist, that never existed before.

Ringler believes this program is unique and fills a gap within the system. 

“So that’s why Chat4Chad got behind this because, personally, I recognize how different it is losing someone to suicide,” he said candidly.  

“It is just a different loss. So being surrounded by people who have had a similar loss. It really creates community and provides a different kind of support that you can only get from someone who’s gone through the same thing. And that’s the value in this program. It’s bringing people together who have similarly suffered a tremendous loss that’s very unique, in different and challenging ways.”

Malinda Hirvilammi, CMHA North Bay and District Health Promotions Coordinator, says numbers reveal it’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

She says in Canada, we lose 4000 individuals to suicide annually. 

“There’s about 15 to 30 people impacted by each of those losses,” noted Hirvilammi.

“So in our community, we’re living amongst family friends, coworkers, people we pass by on an everyday basis, who have experienced a loss of suicide. And the support that individuals need to navigate this type of loss is quite unique. We wanted to make sure that we incorporated this service within the community to make it accessible to folks who require that support and have an opportunity to improve their overall mental health, wellness, as they’re navigating this unique type of loss.”

Those who attended are feeling the impact of the program. 

“All grief is hard, but losing someone to suicide is different in many ways,” said Rod, who lost his son to suicide in the spring of 2024.  

“There is a stigma associated with suicide that is different from other kinds of losses. People don’t realize that even after a few years, the wound and the trauma are still overwhelming. It’s very isolating; I honestly felt less alone during the pandemic. The Suicide Grief Support Group helped me to understand that this is normal and that my path has been severely altered for the rest of my life.”

Lisa believes there is something unique about sharing those feelings with those who can relate to her mental suffering. 

“I didn’t know how to explain what was going on in my brain to anyone, and especially not to myself,” she said.  

“Therapy helped me understand more, but it wasn’t until I sat down in SGSG that I could truly believe that my brain had changed just as much as my life had changed. I saw it in the others around the room and I felt understood for the first time since Rob’s passing. It was heartbreaking to know that others had the same affliction as I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but here we all were navigating it nonetheless. Even though we sat around a table at arms length – the room felt like a massive group hug, and it changed my perspective on group sessions immediately. Compassion, understanding, empathy, and love all grew quickly as we shared, no judgment whatsoever.”

Another attendee was pleasantly surprised by its positive impact. 

“It was surprising the amount of progress and support the group offered my colleagues and me,” the attendee said.  

“I don’t do well in groups, but I took a chance with joining the group and really benefited from it. When my loved one passed, we donated money to the CMHA, and now I feel like this group has been gifted back to me. We need to learn to help each other out as a community, and this is a great step forward.”

Hirvilammi says one of the biggest hurdles for individuals to overcome is actually getting the courage to go online and sign up for the program. 

“The hardest part that I heard was getting to that first session, not only getting to the first session, but also signing up for the group itself,” she noted.   

“Everyone had shared that they were looking for this type of support, and again, based on your unique grief journey, it’s a big step to overcome the pain they are feeling, the anxiety, and anxieties they might be feeling about participating in a group like that.

“So I’m hoping that the more we have these groups, the more awareness gets out in the community that this service is available for folks and hopefully that we can share the positive impact that participants have experienced. and also make connections to those in our community who have experienced this type of loss, and continuing to build support for that group of people. as more participants get involved.”

Registration is currently open for the second eight-week Suicide Grief Support Group Winter 2026 session. It begins on Jan. 21.