The  following is a link to TV3 Disclosure ‘The Elber Twomey Story’.

This documentary tells our horrific story with regard to the tragic events that led to our crash on July 6th 2012 and indeed how it led me to campaign for suicide awareness training for all our Gardaí, Police Officers in the UK and beyond, and that my hope is that they will address the suicidal driver in this training. My thinking being that this training is to help and support the Garda/Police Officer who is faced with such a stressful situation along with hopefully helping the suicidal person that they may encounter.

It includes great interviews with my brother Tomás, close friends of Con’s, Thomas and Michael, wonderful nurses from Torbay Hospital who looked after us in the aftermath of our crash, along with Chief Superintendent Jim Nye of Devon & Cornwall Police and Superintendent Patrick McCabe from the Garda Training College in Templemore in Ireland.

It also features great moments from our http://www.twomeyfamilyremorial.com weekend which we run in June. The aim of the weekend is to Remember with Love and to Honour Con, Baba Oisín & Baby Elber-Marie & to promote the reality of how precious life is. The funds we raise from our weekend have gone to help the Hospitals who looked after us following the crash, Brú Columbanus in Cork who provide home from home accommodation for relatives of seriously ill patients in the Cork hospitals along with great suicide support groups – Reach Out, 3T’s, Suicide Aware in Cork & Pieta House

Last week I was kindly invited to Devon & Cornwall Police by Chief Superintendent Jim Nye to see the police driver training that they do now. Personally I was very impressed with their driver training. I did remark to Chief Supt Nye that I would like to see their officers trained in suicide awareness. I explained that I am aware of the pressure a police officer is under when they are confronted by this issue and my campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the stigma that mental health causes. I told Chief Supt Nye that personally I honestly feel that training in suicide awareness is as much to help the police officer as indeed the suicidal person/driver they may encounter. I remarked that I am very aware that not all suicidal people can be saved but that I feel that training in suicide awareness and promoting the principal of least intrusion in dealing with a suicidal driver would I feel be of huge benefit to the police officer should they encounter such tragic and extremely stressful scenarios.

I Spoke at Devon & Cornwall Police about the Campaign:

Chief Superintendent Jim Nye Talks about the Training Programme:

http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?id=47e37b69-e7ad-448d-ab53-a33cb02af32a

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/suicidal-drivers-moves-welcomed-by-elber-twomey-325295.html

http://www.evoke.ie/news/elber-twomey-new-hope-for-crash-survivor-in-her-campaign/

Last month I was kindly invited to Templemore by Superintendent Pat McCabe to address the Garda driving instructors. I spoke to them on my experience and our tragedy. I outlined the events leading up to our crash and how cctv footage from that day showed that Marek RIP had driven 12 circuits along Hamelin Way that day without doing anything wrong. The only difference in the last circuit was police presence.
I explained that I respect that not every Suicidal person can be saved but that I do believe that training in suicide awareness in the college and across the force is hugely important. I told them that I was delighted to learn from Superintendent McCabe that the new BA in policing students now undertake Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and that I hope that this training will be rolled out across the force.
I said that in addition to this training I think it is of huge importance that when they are instructing Garda drivers that they address the suicidal driver and the impact that Garda drivers can have on others. Stressing the sad reality that cars can be used as a lethal weapon, I explained that I would like to see the principal of least intrusion adopted in this scenario.
Personally, I honestly believe that this training in suicide awareness and addressing the suicidal driver is as much to help the poor Garda / Police Officer as indeed the suicidal person they may encounter.
The fact that I was kindly invited by Superintendent McCabe to speak with the Garda driver trainers is an extremely positive development in the campaign, of which I am most grateful, and I do hope that I will continue to have an input with Superintendent McCabe and his great training team on this hugely important issue.

http://www.herald.ie/news/horror-crash-mum-elber-helping-elite-garda-driver-training-unit-31143636.html

A Big Big Thanks to the Editor of The Garda Review Magazine who kindly welcomed an article from me, regarding my thoughts on the need for Suicide Awareness for An Garda Siochána. Truly appreciated.

http://www.gardareview.ie/index.php/preventing-tragedy/

I was delighted to get the opportunity to speak with the Assistant Commissioner, and four colleagues who will be training the new intake of recruits in the Garda training college in Templemore on Thursday last.

The meeting lasted about an hour and was very positive. During our meeting they outlined the new B.A in applied Policing which will commence next month at the College. I was really impressed with the way that in this course, the students learn through working with realistic policing scenarios. To me it shows how practical and “real life” the course is.

At the meeting, I got a chance to get my thoughts across on the need the for more suicide training across the force. I outlined some suggestions that I would like to see included in their suicide awareness training. My hope being,that this training will be given in the Garda Training College and included in the Primary Inservice Program so that all members of An Garda Siochana will receive this training. This undoubtedly in my opinion will help and protect the Garda and indeed the suicidal person they may encounter.

They said they would think about what I said and that they found it very useful and informative. They also said that what was discussed will help them in how they train all members of the force.

That the meeting even took place is the biggest and most significant day for me since I set out on this campaign and I am most grateful to them for inviting me to the Garda Training College to speak with them on this hugely important issue.

I didn’t know what to expect but I left with the impression that they really listened to me and my suggestions and I genuinely hope that this could well be the start of something positive Please God.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/suicide-training-urged-for-gardai-by-car-tragedy-mother-30551436.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/elber-twomey-hails-quotsignificantquot-meeting-with-garda-chiefs-as-part-of-garda-suicide-training-campaign-284309.html

On July 23rd My brother and I had a meeting with the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald in the Dáil. I am most Thankful to Áine Collins TD and to Dan Neville TD who arranged for me to meet with Minister Fitzgerald.

I was happy with the meeting and most grateful that the Minister took the time to meet with me to discuss my campaign. During our meeting I outlined the suicide awareness/prevention training that I would like to see introduced in the Garda Training College and that it would be included in the Primary Inservice Program, that way it would show a commitment by an Garda Siochana to it.

I expressed my thinking to the Minister, that regretfully suicide is extremely prevalent in Ireland today and that obviously many members of An Garda Siochana have to deal with suicidal people as part of their post. Obviously this is extremely difficult for each member who has to encounter this. Therefore in my opinion there is a huge need for all members of An Garda Siochana to be trained to receive specific training in suicide awareness and how to apprehend suicidal drivers or the one who is known or suspected to be suicidal. I explained to her that I really believe, that this training would be extremely helpful for the Garda on a professional and indeed a personal level.

I was delighted  to hear the Minister’s words “I am supporting your visit to Templemore as the Minister for Justice and I am supporting your call for training in Mental Health issues. I will be in touch with the Gardaí about it”.

Victim of suicidal driver urges Min Fitzgerald to ensure Garda training on suicide – Neville http://www.finegael.ie/latest-news/2014/victim-of-suicidal-driver/

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/mother-who-lost-entire-family-in-crash-behind-garda-suicide-awareness-intiative-30459094.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/victim-of-suicidal-driver-to-help-set-up-garda-course-276630.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/heroic-irish-women-make-a-stand-for-those-they-lost-276796.html

Great Janine Jansen BBC Spotlight came to Our Weekend in honour of My Beauties & Filmed lots of Our Weekend.

Highlights of Our Weekend
http://www.frequency.com/video/irish-widow-who-lost-her-entire-family/173998751/-/5-1377

Fabulous Medical Staff from Torbay Hospital who looked after all of us, joined us for Our Weekend, What great people!
http://www.frequency.com/video/emergency-staff-who-treated-woman/174216063/-/5-1377

I spoke to Janine re Our Weekend in Honour of My Beauties & My Mission that all Our Gardaí be trained in suicide awareness/prevention.
http://www.frequency.com/video/could-you-forgive-if-suicidal-driver/174259793/-/5-857