Today is International Overdose Awareness Day.
Dr. Mitchell Crawford says it’s a day to gather, a day to heal and a day to hope.
“When we come together in this way, we help normalize the disease of addiction. When we normalize the disease of addiction, we make it easier for folks who are struggling to reach out for help,” Crawford said. “This is a day to remember the loved ones we have lost, but it is also a day to celebrate, support, and encourage recovery.”
Crawford, the WellSpan Philhaven director of addiction services, will talk about the impact of addiction and overdoses on area families, as the speaker at both the Lancaster and the Lebanon commemorations of International Overdose Day.
The two events include:
The Overdose Awareness Vigil & Recovery Celebration being held at 6:30 p.m. at the Lebanon County Courthouse, 400 S. 8th St., Lebanon. The event, which will include Crawford’s remarks, will honor those who lost their lives as the result of the disease of addiction and celebrate those who are continuing to fight their battle in recovery. Social distancing and masking are requested.
The event is sponsored by the Lebanon County Stronger Together Heroin Task Force.
The International Overdose Awareness Day being held virtually at 7 p.m. by the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss in Mount Joy. The event, held by Zoom, includes a candle-lighting ceremony, a breakout time for children to make a commemorative tile, Crawford’s remarks on “Overdose: Finding Your Path After Tragedy,” a question-and-answer session and a closing memorial.
