Aevidum comes from the Latin word “vid” which means “life.”It is also an interjection that means “I’ve got your back!” However, Aevidum is not just a phrase or a word; it is also an organization that is dedicated towards saving lives and preventing suicide.
Aevidum was co-founded back in 2004 by West Chester University student, Lauren Baxter, and Millersville University student, Ashley Smith.
“Aevidum (formally known as A Helping Hand) was created in the aftermath of a student suicide (Phil Cardin) at my high school Cocalico High School in Denver, Pa.” Baxter said.
“Myself, a freshman at the time, and Ashley Smith, a sophomore, saw how the students in our school were dealing with Phil’s death, and we realized we needed to do something to make sure that this kind of tragedy never happened again.”
Lauren Baxter also knows first hand how suicide can affect people.
“When I was in seventh grade, my father completed suicide, so I knew first hand how suicide can change a person. When Phil died, those feelings I knew all too well came back and I saw my friends and classmates trying to deal with this unique pain. Aevidum is about making everyone aware that suicide is 100% preventable, and that we can aid in that prevention by knowing the warning signs of depression.”
Creating Aevidum was not even a decision for Baxter, “it was a calling, a way to empower students to make a difference and save a life.”
Lauren Baxter, a senior English education major, is part of a team of six students from across the state that helps promote and run Aevidum.
Baxter is not the only one that has been affected by suicide.
“Aevidum was created in 2004 in the aftermath of a well-loved student’s completed suicide. That student was my brother Philip and my only sibling” Maggie Cardin, a Penn State University student said.
“I am so passionate about this topic because I know the effects first hand that suicide can have on a family and the community as well.”
The other students that make up the Aevidum team: Kutztown University Student Patty Grudzinski, Franklin and Marshall College student Jaclyn Anderson, Immaculata University student Courtney Sahm, and Temple University student Caprice Hoeveler.
For Caprice Hoeveleri and many of the other board directors, the effects of suicide were felt when a fellow student completed suicide at their high school.
“Aevidum means a lot to me because suicide and depression greatly affected my community when a student completed suicide. I personally decided to join the cause because I never wanted to lose a friend or family member to suicide and wanted to know how to stop this from happening,” Hoeveler said.
Patty Grudzinski considers Aevidum extremely important “because depression doesn’t have to end with suicide. This can be helped and this is what we want to do.”
So what are the future plans for Aevidum and how do they plan on reaching out to the community?
“Our goal as an organization is to have Aevidum become incorporated and to continue spreading our message to students, and empowering students to realize that they can make a difference. We will not stop until there is an Aevidum in every middle and high school across Pennsylvania, and eventually, our nation” Baxter said. Grudzinski hopes for the same plan, “I want Aevidum to help save lives. This is what I believe is important. I want kids to understand that it is okay to be depressed and that there are people to talk to. It isn’t something to be ashamed of. ‘I’ve got your back.’ No one is alone and we are here to make that known.”
“In the big picture, I want every person in the United States and eventually the world to know the warning signs of suicide and depression,” Courtney Sahm said. “I want to shatter forever the shame of suicide and depression.”
Aevidum has sponsored many activities to reach out to the community about suicide prevention.
“Students can get involved by going to our website and learning the warning signs of depression and suicide. Students can pledge Aevidum, meaning that they 1. Know the warning signs of depression and suicide; 2. Are willing to use the word in everyday communication; and 3. Have a friend’s back,” Lauren Baxter said.
Students can even create a chapter of Aevidum at their high school or college.
Caprice Hoeveler wants students to know “Many school officials believe that suicide and depression are taboo subjects that should not be spoken about in schools. However, health professionals will tell you that openly talking about suicide in schools can actually prevent it. That is Aevidum’s message. By telling a friend that you’ve ‘got their back’ it eliminates the stigma attached to depression by letting a friend know that it’s okay for them to openly talk about how they’re feeling.”
The Aevideum website can be found at www.aevideum.com.
Angela Thomas is a third year English major. She can be reached at AT683005@wcupa.edu.