A mum whose teenage daughter died by suicide after viewing harmful content online plans to walk the Pentland Skyline in Scotland this Saturday (June 15) to raise money for Childline.
Ruth Moss (52), a nurse from Edinburgh, is raising money for the NSPCC-run counselling service, which supported her daughter Sophie several times before she died.
Sophie died in 2014 aged 13 after she watched harmful content online, including material that glorified suicide.
She struggled with her mental health throughout her teenage years, and Ruth encouraged her to contact Childline when she was feeling very low or suicidal so that she could talk to someone, in confidence, who was professionally trained and independent from family and teachers.
Despite living with the grief of losing her daughter, Ruth is determined to bring about something positive from her tragedy by raising money for the free counselling service, which is available to young people up to the age of 19, 24 hours a day, all year round.
Ruth, who plans to complete the 16-mile route with a 5,577 ft climb with her husband Craig and two friends, said: “This walk feels like a positive way of marking a tragic event. It’s happened to us, there’s nothing we can do to change that.
“But it’s comforting to know I’m helping other young people who may be struggling with their mental health in the same way that Sophie was, and it helps to keep her memory alive, which is hugely important to me.
“When you lose a child you are always wondering what they’d be doing now. I’ve watched some of her friends grow up into beautiful young women and men.
“Sophie would have turned 24 this month and I am thinking she would probably have finished university, she might have a job, where would she be living? There’s a whole future that didn’t happen for Sophie.
“I want to do something to help prevent another family from losing a child in such a tragic way.”
In 2022/23, Childline delivered 105,366 counselling sessions with children across the UK where the child’s main concern was mental or emotional health, suicide or self-harm.
Ruth said: “Sophie used Childline for quite some time and while the outcome for her was tragic the service provided her with comfort, and I am so grateful to them for being there for her.”
To support Ruth visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ruth-moss-1710585841103
Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk.
Childline is there for all young people up until their 19th birthday. Call the police on 999 if you suspect someone is in immediate danger.