“Dod pieci!” charity marathon to focus on mental health and suicide prevention
Latvian Public Media’s “Dod pieci!” charity marathon will broadcast from a glass studio in Riga from 11 to 17 December, raising funds to help people at high risk of self-harm or suicide.
The annual “Dod pieci!” charity marathon run by Latvian Public Media (LSM) will this year focus on mental health and suicide prevention. From 11 to 17 December it will be broadcast from a special glass studio on Doma Square in Riga. Donations will go to evidence-based support for people who have attempted suicide and for those at high risk of self-harm or suicide.
The marathon aims to reduce the stigma and silence around mental health difficulties, help people notice risks in time and seek help, and draw attention to gaps in the system. Over the week, Latvijas Radio 5 DJs will talk with experts and with people who have experienced a severe mental health crisis themselves or through a loved one. As usual, there will be performances by artists and songs chosen by donors.
What the data show
According to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) health profile for Latvia, about 16% of residents lived with mental health disorders in 2019, against an EU average of 17%. A 2024 study by the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) found that 62.4% of respondents aged 15 to 74 had felt at least one sign of emotional strain, more often women (67.8%) than men (56.5%).
In a Stradiņš University study, 10.6% of adults said they had had thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or had shown suicidal behaviour, in the previous month. From 2020 to 2024, an average of 258 people died by suicide in Latvia each year – 214 men and 44 women. About 80% of cases are linked to depression, and alcohol was found in 43% of those who died.
The Children’s Protection Centre’s helpline received 254 contacts about child self-harm or suicidal thoughts in the first half of 2026; in all of 2025 there were 277.
Where the money will go
Funds will go to the charity “Ziedot.lv”. They will pay for individually tailored therapy, including dialectical behaviour therapy, for people who regularly self-harm and face a particularly high suicide risk. In a project by the National Mental Health Centre, donations will also fund SOSA support groups for suicide attempt survivors – an eight-meeting cycle offering a safe environment and shared experience.
