Indigenous dancer Mikethia performs the Men's Fancy Dance during a downtown event to honour International Overdose Awareness Day a few days early.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Public Library courtyard was a scene of support and remembrance Thursday evening, as residents gathered to honour those lost to the drug toxicity crisis.
The event featured resources for those affected by addiction, be it themselves or a loved one, from free naloxone training to information on how to deal with grief following a death caused by drug poisoning.
There was also a free barbecue for those attending, including cookies donated by the Zucchini Blossom Market & Cafe and hamburger buns provided by McBrides Bakery.
Pat Doherty, a member of the Medicine Hat Drug Coalition and a systems navigator at SafeLink Alberta, says the event was held a few days early, as the official International Overdose Awareness Day is Aug. 31, but seeing as it would fall on the long weekend, they wanted to host it when people would be more able to attend.
He says if there was one thing he hoped for the general public to know, regardless of if they have been affected by an overdose, that the drug toxicity crisis does effect every demographic of person and touches everyone around them.
“I’ve gotten to know folks, when I work with them. Every one of them comes with a story,” said Doherty. “They’re people’s brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. Parents. We’re losing a generation of young men, especially in the trades. It just ripples out from all the other areas in the community, and it continues to be a cost and it’s just one segment of the trauma that folks have suffered.”
“We need to keep our sons, our daughters, our parents and our friends alive long enough to escape the net of addiction they have been caught in,” said Kym Porter. “Dead people don’t recover, so true compassion and, honestly, meeting people exactly where they’re at, along with honouring their journey to a healthier life, is the goal.”
