THUNDER BAY -- Kathy Maydo knows what it’s like to have her entire life controlled by addiction.
Now nearly three years sober, she recognizes her recovery from alcohol addiction every day when she looks in the mirror and sees she is the person she wants to be.
Maydo will be sharing her story Saturday at Prince Arthur’s Landing during the city’s first Recovery Day event.
She acknowledges it isn’t easy to talk about the issue, but added that it’ll be worth it if she can help even one person find the help they need.
“I did it for my sons, as well as anyone out there who has a problem or think they may have a problem. Sometimes it’s hard to come forward and admit you have a problem,” she said at a Tuesday morning media conference.
“I’m just very grateful to everybody who helped me because I was at an all-time low.”
The event is being hosted by the Drug Awareness Committee in collaboration with the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and will feature video screenings of local stories of recovery, as well as a documentary about the more than 23 million people who live in long-term addiction recovery centres.
Nancy Hernandez-Basurto, the chair of the Drug Awareness Committee and public health nurse, said recognizing recovery is an important way to show people that addictions can be overcome.
“It’s a breath of fresh air. We often focus on the negatives associated with substance abuse and addiction,” Hernandez-Basurto said.
“It’s really wonderful to hear a story about someone overcoming those challenges and overcoming those barriers, bringing a face and voice to that. It personalizes that, it humanizes it and I think that’s what we need to bring the conversation back to focus on compassion and support.”
In addition to focusing on the recovery aspect of addiction, the event will also educate people about the resources available to help fight substance abuse.
Hernandez-Basurto said the Drug Awareness Committee works with a range of partner organizations to reach out to people when they need help.
“We’re working with community members and recovery stories to raise awareness and challenge stigmas and assumptions associated with substance abuse as well increase awareness around harm reduction strategies and other treatment modalities other people can utilize and learn about,” she said.
The first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem, a process that took Maydo a long time.
It took alcohol completely consuming her, resulting injuries and harm for her to realize it was tearing her apart, rather than providing security.
Maydo said with alcohol in particular, many people might not realize they have an addiction.
“A lot of people might say they just drink on Wednesdays, or just drink on the weekends but it’s a problem and some people don’t realize it’s a problem until it’s too late,” she said.
The event on Saturday, which is free of charge, will run from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is designed to be a family friendly day. There will be food trucks, musicians, magicians, body art and vendors.
There is also a banner that can be signed to show solidarity with those going through recovery.
More information about Recovery Day can be found on the Drug Awareness Committee’s Facebook page
