Mental diseases such as depression are akin to cancer, in that some people beat them and some do not.

Ending the stigma associated with mental diseases, however, can go a long way toward encouraging someone having problems to seek help.Providing that support group was the genesis for Lehighton Area High School's chapter of Aevidum, an organization empowering youth to shatter the silence surrounding depression, suicide and other issues.Thursday afternoon, Lehighton's Aevidum chapter hosted Jim Tkach, co-founder of the Bo Tkach Foundation, who lost his son Bo to suicide in 2007.Speaking at his alma mater, Tkach addressed a high school student body that has been on the forefront of depression and suicide awareness."The fact that my high school has done so much for our family means so much," Tkach said. "I'm not here to make you sad, I'm here to bring a message of hope. We lost Bo, but the things he did for others and the way he functioned is what Aevidum is all about. It's about being a good person and caring for each other."Tkach's message hit home with many Lehighton students, some of whom struggle with issues similar to Bo, who was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at age 12.Acceptance of the fact that there are students dealing with depression is just one of the things Lehighton Aevidum adviser Laura Schiffer-Rapa hopes students took away from the talk."I hope anyone sitting in that room dealing with those issues knows there are people out there that are willing to help them," Schiffer-Rapa said. "It is a disease, but there is hope."While Tkach shared stories of famous athletes and celebrities who battled mental illness, he also reflected on stories of Bo's compassion and generosity, hoping to set an example for the teens on how to help everyone feel part of a team.Bo was known for captaining gym class teams so he could choose students who weren't necessarily the most athletically gifted individuals."He would coach them and when he would see them in the hall, he would always say hello," Tkach said.While attending Wilkes University, Bo spotted a man lying in a gutter and, giving him the last 10 dollars he had, bought the man an all-night pass on a bus so he had somewhere warm to sleep."It's about doing great things for others and not needing to advertise that or take credit," Tkach said. "Compassion and caring are the greatest lessons we can learn."Aevidum chapters are springing up all over the country, but Lehighton has taken the ball and run with it since starting their version last year."The kids are phenomenal," Schiffer-Rapa said. "They have embraced the message and run with it. They want every student to feel connected to someone. If we accomplish that, we think we can become stronger as a community."Lehighton hosted Panther Valley in varsity football Thursday night for the annual Bo Tkach Under the Hat and Helmet game.The game is just one of many ways the Bo Tkach Foundation and local Aevidum chapters continue to raise awareness and help end the stigma.Last year, for example, the foundation spent $30,000 on counseling for Carbon County kids."Depression and mental illnesses, they are diseases and if we can continue to recognize that, we're going to do very well," Tkach said. "Some people dealing with it will flat-out lie and say it was something else, but we're making progress in starting to get people to understand this is a real disease."