6th annual Kim’s Walk for Drug Prevention is Saturday

It’s hard to imagine a greater loss than that of a parent losing a child or a twin losing her other half. The loss of a child or family member from an overdose of opiates often comes with judgement from others and sometimes blame for the root cause of the death.

From 2000 to 2012, Ohio’s death rate due to unintentional drug poisonings increased 366 percent, and the increase in deaths has been driven largely by prescription drugs and heroin. It has continued to rise each year since then. On average approximately five people die each day in Ohio due to drug overdose.

Both Lori Kraviec and Elizabeth Carey know that pain all too well. Kraviec lost her daughter Kim to an overdose. She believes that Kim took a drug believing that it was safe because her friends were using it. While not an addict, abusing an opiate just one time resulted in her death. Kim was just 19 when she died leaving her mom and family to deal with the overwhelming sadness that followed.

Carey lost her best friend and twin sister Chrystina on February 22, 2013. Both young women overdosed in the presence of others who didn’t have the resources to help avert the overdose with medication like Narcan which is easier to access today. Chrystina left behind two daughters – one of them an infant now being raised by Elizabeth.

Lori and Elizabeth serve on the planning committee for the Hope for Tomorrow – Kim’s Walk for Drug Prevention because they wanted to find a positive avenue for their grief.  They note that not all of us are addicted to drugs but most of us don’t eat as well as we should, or exercise often or don’t always treat others with kindness. The common cycle of an addicted person includes hopeful periods of sobriety followed by devastating relapse. This is not so unlike our failure to live up to our own ideals or meet our own goals. The difference is that sometimes a relapse after a period of sobriety from heroin results in death.

Carey notes, “Heroin was a Pandora’s box for Chrystina. Once she opened it – she could not close it. She became addicted and that addiction led to her death.”

All involved agree that the tragedy of death leaves more unanswered questions about the disease of addiction than answers. And the stigma surrounding opioid addiction creates a barrier to the help necessary for recovery.

Kraviec notes that her daughter was not a drug addict, but points out that her casual use led to a catastrophic event resulting in her death.

“I’ll never have her back to hug,” said Kraviec. “We’ll never be able to talk about her future goals. She had so much ahead of her and all of that is gone.”

Kraviec said she selected Marion Crawford Prevention Programs initially because she believes that young people can have a bigger impact on their peers than adults can.  She hopes that peer led prevention will help increase knowledge about opiates and decrease use.

Jodi Galloway, director of Marion-Crawford Prevention Programs says that the Hope Walk is an event that can help increase awareness about opioid prescription abuse and the devastating results that can follow.

“People walk in memory of someone lost or in recognition of their own recovery,” said Galloway. “It’s a positive event.”

The walk is set for Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 10:00 am at the Marion First Church of the Nazarene on West Church Street.

Lori, Jodi, Elizabeth and Jody want everyone to know that beads are provided in recognition of loss, recovery or support. Walkers place the beads on a memory tree on South Prospect Street. This provides a moment to stop and reflect.

Carey said, “I think it’s amazing to see people in recovery coming to the walk. Some have come far in their journey of recovery and their willingness to participate means a lot.”

Some families participate even if their loved one is still in active addiction.  They walk in hope that they will move into recovery and once again become the mother-daughter-friend that they once were.

This year in addition to Marion Crawford Prevention programs, sponsors include the Crawford-Marion ADAMH Board and Marion First Church of the Nazarene.

ADAMH Board director Jody Demo-Hodgins has been to the walk each year and says it’s one of her favorite community events.

“We come together to say there is hope and we believe that. This is an issue that impacts every community in the state and across the country.  We can’t change things if we don’t recognize that treatment works and people recover.  Parents and grandparents have to play a big role in having multiple conversations with their kids so that they don’t use alcohol and other drugs.”