The Quran's explicit prohibition of suicide makes it "the taboo within the taboo of mental health," says Stanford psychiatrist Rania Awaad. That's why her work to change the narrative on suicide in Muslim communities comes from a place of faith. "Whoever saves a life" blends details of Awaad's personal journey to this work with examples of everyday challenges the Muslim community faces in preventing and addressing suicide. At a time of deepening xenophobia, the need to create resources and provide suicide-response training to imams and other Muslim leaders across the United States has never felt more urgent. Written for Momentum, Stanford’s bimonthly donor publication, this story puts a human face on Stanford's commitment to finding evidence-based and practical solutions for societal problems.
From the Judges
An engaging and eye-opening story. The judges loved the emotional connections to the subjects and culture, the featuring of a faculty member, and the universality of the subject.
