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Espanola group shares stories of overcoming opioid addiction, loss

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Wednesday in Espanola, a small but dedicated group held the first overdose awareness walk.

Participants shared heartfelt messages of loss, coping and overcoming opioid addiction.

Grandmothers, mothers and children walked with signs and purple balloons along Highway 6 through Espanola, highlighting the opioid crisis.

"It's very important because we need easier access to mental health," said Linda Collins, of the Espanola & Area Overdose Epidemic Group.

"We need easier access to treatment centres. We need easier access just to get these people some help."

Trish Labelle, one of the organizers of the walk, is raising her grandchildren. Her daughter, Jessica, was 26 and dealing with PTSD and mental health issues when she died from an opioid overdose more than a year ago.

"Being in lockdown didn't help her. Being locked in a house with three little ones who were very young at the time," Labelle said.

"She then dabbled in using on and off over the next year, year and a half until she lost her battle."

Labelle would like to see more support for children who lose parents to overdoses.

"They are only four, six and seven," she said.

"They are going to be dealing with this for the rest of their lives, losing their parent. And there is not enough services to go around for all the kids in Espanola that need services."

Nicole Lachance is a recovering opioid addict.

"I am not ashamed to share my story or to say that, you know, what I could be one of the statistics," said Lachance.

"It is a constant struggle."

Lachance said she took part in the walk to end the stigma associated with drug addiction.

"The biggest thing I hear from a lot of people is that addicts choose to be that way, that especially if they are homeless, 'well they got themselves there or you know they chose to pick up that first drug,'" she said.

"I think that that is something that needs to go away."

Participants said another goal of the walk was to raise awareness about opioid abuse in the community of 5,000 people, an issue they call rampant. 

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