Joshua Adonis Barber died at age thirty from complications of a broken heart. His clinical diagnosis was depression, and he received fragments of excellent treatment at several Rhode Island facilities.
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States. More Americans suffer from depression than coronary heart disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS.**
WAMO is an acronym taken from a song written by Josh (“We All Move On”). WAMO is a non-profit established by the Barber family to raise awareness in support of the needs of others suffering from depression or similar conditions.
If Josh had received a continuum of excellent care, he would be here leading this effort on behalf of others. The period between discharge from acute hospitalization and a self-initiated outpatient program was the chasm between life and death for Josh. WAMO is raising funds to create a program to fill this gap in partnership with Rhode Island’s most highly respected health institutions. A transition program that functions effectively between the highly controlled inpatient setting and completely unstructured life outside the hospital is desperately needed. WAMO’s vision is for a safety net of flexible, 24/7 services and resources available for individuals struggling with depression and their families or care-givers. No one should reach out and get a busy-signal or out-of-office response on what could be their last day, or with help, could be the day when it all turns for the better. An appointment card is small comfort when a direct human intervention is needed.