Vigil to mark International Overdose Awareness Day

By Mo Cranker, Special to the News on August 16, 2021.

The Medicine Hat Drug Coalition is hosting a one-evening event later this month to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day.

The awareness event will take place from 6-9 p.m. downtown on Aug. 31 in the courtyard between the public library and the courthouse.

Coalition member Kym Porter, whose son Neil Balmer died of an overdose in 2016, says the event is held to remember those the community has lost to overdose.

“It’s our fourth annual here in Medicine Hat,” she said. “This is to honour the lives lost, in particular to substance use.

“This is also for people who have been affected by the loss of a loved one. It’s important to get together and share experiences.”

There will be a candlelight vigil held during the night and attendees can also decorate a bag with a message to a loved one on it.

“We’re using battery powered candles and will hold the vigil as the sun goes down.”

Porter adds that the night will be a chance for anyone in the community to learn.

“We will also have someone there that night doing naloxone training,” Porter said. “We’re hosting an open mic session so people can get up and speak if they choose to.

“We also hope to have an Indigenous drumming session.

“We’re still planning a bit, but it’s going to be a good event that a lot of people could learn from.”

Previous events held for this cause were longer and grander, says Porter, and organizers decided to scale things down a bit this year to put the spotlight back on those lost.

“We’ve had food and more stuff going on in the past,” she said. “We just wanted to really show support for the losses our community has seen, and continues to see with regard to substance use.”

With a municipal election coming up, Porter knows the topic of harm reduction – particularly supervised consumption – will be an important topic in debates. She says all incumbents and hopefuls for council and mayor are welcome to the event.

“I’ve already had a few conversations with council candidates,” she said. “I’m trying to speak with as many as possible to share my perspective, and my thoughts on harm reduction.

“I want them to know that there are resources to learn about harm reduction and supervised consumption sites.”

Porter made mention of provincial overdose statistics released for the second quarter of 2021.

“The report shows that this is only getting worse in our community and around the province,” she said. “Harm reduction saves lives and I really think we need to put the focus there.”

Locally, 14 people have died of an opioid-related overdose through the first five months this year. Last year’s 12-month total was 12 deaths.

“It’s worrying,” said Porter. “Last year’s numbers were bad – this year’s are scary. It’s very sad to think about.

“These are peoples’ kids, friends, siblings and spouses.”

Across the province’s major city centres, numbers are consistent, with deaths drastically increasing in March of last year. The numbers have not dropped.

In the province, there were 160 deaths related to opioids in the first three months of 2020. This year 353 people have died from opioids from January to March. Across the province, the 2021 total to the end of May is 576.

Lethbridge has experienced 25 opioid-related deaths to the end of May. It had 48 in 2020, including eight in December.

Calgary has 187 total opioid deaths to the end of May this year. There were 391 over 12 months last year.

In 2020, there were 404 opioid-related deaths in Edmonton. Through the end of May, 190 people have died in that region of an opioid-related death.