Combating Suicide through Powerful Messages: Imaobong Smart’s Book STAY To Be Turned into a Film

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Given the increasing suicide rates at an alarming pace world wide, an action is needed to ensure lives are saved. One woman is on the frontline of this battle to ensure that an important message reaches at least one person and actually succeeds in stopping one more death. Imaobong Smart uses her book to reduce the number of deaths caused by suicide. According to World Health Organization (WHO),nearly 800,000 people die every year because of suicide. Putting it into perspective, this number translates to one person every 40 seconds. WHO also predicts that the number will rise to one person every 20 seconds. Smart intends to turn her successful book into a film to bring the message of STAY to many people.

“If our message can stop one person, at one moment, from taking their life, then we have succeeded,” said Smart while adding that stopping one family from experiencing the loss of a loved one will go a long way in accomplishing her mission.

Smart says that STAY project is created to ensure that lives are preserved and to allow people to have a bigger picture than their despair. This project started with a book and then a song. Now, it will be turned into a film. Smart says she wrote the book after a close member of her family attempted suicide. The book was launched at a time when the world was going through one of its most difficult periods and a lot of people were suffering from lockdown-related loneliness and depression. The book was a success. Smart received a lot of positive feedback from readers including members of families who were touched by the message. She recounts a young man to whom she gave the book after he contemplated ending his life. In a touching story, Smart tells the gratitude shown by the teen who, after reading the book, found the answers he was seeking. This scenario has such impact that made her decide to turn the book into a song to reach many people.

Still yearning to touch many people's lives, Smart did not stop the STAY message with the song. She is now producing a film to raise increased awareness about the dangerous, delicate, and urgent situation that many are finding themselves in. She wants to continue to bring the message of hope and to give people a new perspective and a reason to stay.

Smart is seeking assistance to reach the message across all corners. She is raising funds to enable the production of the film. She aim stories USD 100k to cover the production process. She believes that through the film, she will pass the message to many people, save a life, and impact lives.

STAY project aims to expose the delusion of suicide and to debunk the myths that people hold onto as they justify the act. It aims to impact people by saving one life at time. However, for this to happen, the powerful message should reach all. Smart wants everyone to get the message and to give people a reason to stay.

Apart from donating to the cause, Smart also urges people to engage wither social media pages, share their contents, and let others to know about STAY and its message. Smart is also open to interviews on TV and podcast.

For more information, visit https://www.thestayfilm.com/

About Imaobong Smart

Imaobong Smart is a nurse and a transformational speaker in mental health with North Texas Behavioral Health Authority certificate. She has her degree in theology and is currently working toward her master’s degree. She is the author of STAY: Your Life Is Precious, a book focused on helping suicide prevention. She is also a movie producer/director and is currently working on the production of her feature Dallas film STAY; adapted from the book STAY: Your Life Is Precious. She is married to Temi Smart, and they have two children. Together, the couple pastor Kingdom Life Ministry Global in Carrollton, Texas.

Media Contact Info:

Imaobong Smart

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Website: https://www.thestayfilm.com/

Imaobongspeaks@gmail.com