Anti-suicide campaigner took her own life as she felt too ’embarrassed’ to tell people about her personal struggles, inquest told

Lara Kynvin, a 57-year-old suicide prevention campaigner and mental health adviser, took her own life after feeling embarrassed about telling others how much she was struggling, an inquest was told. Her death came seven weeks after she led a suicide awareness event in Portsmouth, highlighting the difficulty she faced in seeking help despite her work supporting others.

Kynvin had experienced serious mental health problems during the Covid lockdown, including nine further suicide attempts after an initial attempt in 2020, her brother told the inquest. She later received hospital treatment, became involved with charities and served as project lead for the Baton of Hope event in Portsmouth on 26 September 2025; after the event, she experienced a sharp drop in mood, contacted support services and then stopped engaging with them.