Martin founded The Lifekeeper Foundation as a way of handling the grief of losing her only child to suicide when he was 17. Her mission is to educate people that depression is treatable, teach them to recognize early warning signs, and stop suicide—the third leading cause of death in America for youth aged 15 to 24—from being a source of shame. The organization provides suicide awareness, education, and prevention programs through art forms such as poetry, jewelry, and the national memory quilts, which are in 47 states. Martin has testified before Congress and is also the president of the national Suicide Prevention Action Network USA Inc.
Note: Sandra Martin passed away in April 2006.
