International Overdose Awareness Day was on Monday, and the Marion County Coalition Against Drug, Centralia Community Resource Center, and Take Action Coalition of Clinton County held a gathering in Fairview Park to call attention to the needs of those in the community struggling to overcome addiction.
Local organizations such as the Marion County Health Department, Amy Center, St. Clare Foundation, and United Way had tables set up to provide visitors with information about what their organizations could provide for those battling drug addiction. Volunteers from the Centralia Youth Commission served food for the event.
One of the speakers at the event was Ani Briones, whose son Chris died of a heroin overdose at the age of 34. Briones spoke to the audience about the impact Chris’s death had on his family, including his daughter. She said it is important to ensure that the way drug addiction is talked about does not alienate those struggling to overcome addiction or discourage them from seeking help.
“That stigma causes real harm,” Briones said. “It can prevent someone struggling with addiction from asking for help because they are afraid of being judged. It can prevent families from talking openly about what has happened. After an overdose death, stigma can make families feel like they have to explain or defend the person lost, and we shouldn’t have to.”
This year’s theme for Overdose Awareness Day is “25 Years On. Still Needed.” The campaign marks 25 years of global remembrance and action.
