The Lifekeeper Memory Quilts project was founded by Sandy Martin from Georgia in December 1997 after the death of her only son by suicide. The purpose is to raise awareness and prevent suicide by placing a "Face on Suicide," a visual image of the approximately 32,000 suicides that occur in America every year.

The quilts are used throughout the year for the purpose of promoting public awareness about the incidence of suicide. They are displayed each year at the SPAN USA national event in Washington, D.C.. The individual states will display their quilts at fund-raising events, survivor conferences, and other events throughout the year.

The statistics for suicide are alarming, and if we are able to relate a face to those numbers, the number would become exactly what it is – a tragic loss of human life. The quilts carry the message that suicide can happen to any of us, in any family, at any time. Through the use of the Lifekeeper Memory Quilts we will promote awareness, education and prevention of suicide. We will continue to make the quilts as long as they are needed, hopefully reducing the incidence of suicide.

To put this into perspective: for the state of Florida alone, we would need to make more than one hundred (100) quilts per year to include the reported suicides.

The intent of the quilts is not to memorialize or glamorize suicide, but to give memory to the value and dignity of the life of our loved one that has been lost to suicide.

You may find out more about the quilts from the Lifekeeper web site. You may also contact me for information about the Florida quilts and how you can contribute a photo of your loved one lost by suicide, or become involved in the Florida quilts. Email Address: pam@thebethfoundation.com


The first Florida Quilt.


The second Florida Quilt.



Govenor Bush in front of another Florida Quilt.


Judy Bousquet with the Alachua County Survivors of Suicide Quilt



Laura Meyer with the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Florida Faces of Suicide Quilt


Quilts on display at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC


Quilts displayed on the steps of the Capital, Washington, DC