03/28/2024
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August 31,2020 – Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. The day is recognized by many in Bladen County. Earlier this month the Bladen County Board of Commissioners made a Proclamation, acknowledging the harm and hardship caused by drug overdose, the purpose of remembering those loved ones lost to overdose, and the importance of ending the stigma of drug-related deaths. 

Bladen County Board Commissioners Chairman, Ray Britt handing William Sellers with Eastpointe the Proclamation

According to the commissioners’ proclamation, in 2018, overdoses claimed the lives of more than 2,259 North Carolina residents. This year, there are at least five suspected to have passed away in Bladen County due to drug-related overdoses, according to law enforcement reports. Within the past 30 days the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office reported suspected overdose deaths in Clarkton and Tar Heel and the Elizabethtown Police Department reported one in Elizabethtown. Earlier this year there was a suspected overdose in Bladenboro and one more in Elizabethtown, according to police reports. 

This year in the county, several reported overdoses recovered due to the quick action of law enforcement, EMS personnel, and the distribution of the drug, naloxone. Naloxone is a medication designed to reverse opioid overdose rapidly. Eastpointe has helped distribute the life-saving medications throughout Bladen and surrounding counties.

Dr. Cathy Gantz wearing purple on August 31, 2020 to help raise awareness on International Overdose Awareness Day

To help end the stigma and raise awareness, Dr. Cathy Gantz with the Bladen County Substance Abuse Task Force, and Eastpointe, are working together. Eastpointe held a Tri-County National Overdoes Awareness Day webinar for Bladen, Robeson, and Scotland Counties this morning. The online event was to recognize  Overdose Awareness Day and to honor victims and families who have suffered a loss as a result of the opiate epidemic.

The Bladen County Substance Abuse Task Force invites you to view a video about the awareness day provided at the following link:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2733613186749065&extid=R9nr1K1OUYvKpBd1

The task force also started a billboard campaign asking, “Do you have an addiction?” The campaign brings awareness to the fact help is available. Anyone needing assistance with substance abuse may call,  910-872-6256.

Anyone interested in joining the fight against substance abuse is invited to attend the Bladen County Substance Abuse Task Force. The next task force meeting will be held, Tuesday, September 8th, 2020, at 2:00 p.m., at Bladen Community College in the auditorium.  

The task force has created a strategic action plan to help raise awareness, network, and prevent substance abuse. 

Joyce Owen remembering those lost in Bladen County to an overdose.

Dr. Gantz said, “We are very excited to meet once again and resume our important work of implementing the recommendations from the strategic action plan.”

In closing, the following video is from a task force meeting held in 2018. In the video, Mrs. Joyce Owen of White Oak explains the agony of losing a loved one to an overdose. Her son, Brandon Owen, lost his fight with drug addiction and passed away from an overdose. 


Related article:

https://bladencounty.org/white-lake-patrolman-tim-hester-saves-life/

 

https://bladencounty.org/white-lake-patrolman-saves-life/

https://bladencounty.org/deputy-saves-life-of-citizen/

Honoring the Silence: Overdose Awareness event

 

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