SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — “I’m an addict.”
Those words were repeated over and over again Wednesday night during a public forum on drugs in Summerside.
Some of those who spoke their truth had been clean for decades, others less than a year, but all got a round of applause from the hundreds of people who attended the event.
The forum was a joint effort of Summerside city Coun. Barb Ramsay and Summerside Police Services. They arranged for a panel of speakers that included former addicts, healthcare professionals and addictions treatment specialists and others to be available for public questions.
The comments that were made were wide-ranging and included themes like where to get help, what resources the professionals felt they needed to improve their results and stories about individuals' own struggles.
One woman said she has been sober for 10 months, that she has struggled through homelessness and that she been unable find services either through mental health or addictions.
But her question was to some of the recoverees on the panel. She asked if there ever comes a time in recovery when a person can start to feel well again.
“There is an end. One day at a time,” answered Kayla Broderick who, along with her twin brother Kyle Buote, spoke about their recovery from addictions.
More to come in print and online.