Hello Chestermere-Strathmore readers.
I wanted to share something that profoundly touched my life with you this week. As an elected official, I am privileged to spend time with so many of you inside and outside the riding. I learn so much from our conversations as we try to help solve some of the problems and issues. I find myself continually humbled.
This week, I met with the Chestermere Chamber and their incredible board to honour our hard-working and inspired businesses in the City of Chestermere. They, of course, honoured our beautiful brother Alex Halat for his incredible volunteerism and organization of the Longest Hockey Game. They also honoured our brother Steve King who we lost too early on March 12, for his incredible work with Therapy Dogs. Also, the Hike for Hospice held their very successful event in Strathmore as they work to help those of us with loved ones who require palliative care. Something we can all relate to.
This past Sunday, as Ramadan comes to a close, I was honoured to be invited to help hand out meals at the Drop-In Centre in Downtown Calgary with the folks of the “Love With Humanity Association,” who had by the time I showed up distributed 500 meals. I was taking a picture of these extraordinary gentlemen when I heard a scream behind me. A young woman had collapsed from an overdose. Her lips were purple, her tongue swollen, and she had a faint pulse. I swept her mouth for obstructions, turned her on her side, and held her as she was, I learned later, clinically dead. We were about to start CPR when the amazing and beautiful folks from the centre came rushing out and gave her the fourth dose. Apparently, she had been previously dosed with three needles of Narcan (naloxone). The young woman went from purple and so close to death to pink and breathing within minutes. She is beautiful, and she is alive. I’m not sure where everyone sits in the discussions or your individual opinions on misuse of substances and misuse of substance treatment, but this day has changed me forever. Harm reduction is a real thing, and many governments and organizations work hard every day to save lives, but what was profound for me is the dignity of every life. I sat on the ground with this beautiful lady, surrounded by strangers working to save her life; volunteers, staff, and her friends. She had utterly crumpled when she fell, and her legs were behind her back, and we worked fast to untangle her so she could breathe. We almost lost her. The opioid crisis is real, and these people are real. I have been volunteering, as a musician, at the drop-in centre since it opened, and I’ve never experienced what I saw, felt, and learned. These extraordinary people save lives in that way every single day. What will stay with me forever was the staff gathering around me to see if I was, ok?? Did I need to talk about what I had just seen, and then they ran the scenario from the top so I could understand what had just happened. Then the program coordinator explained to me that though she had a pulse, she was clinically dead, and no amount of CPR would have helped. The staff explained that sometimes it takes up to seven vials of Narcan to revive a person. They do this every day. Overdose management and the work that goes into helping folks find sobriety is hero’s work and believe me; these folks are heroes. We all have family and friends who are impacted by misuse of substance. We all know someone who is struggling. Our empathy, humanity, and compassion are part of the solution to dealing with and healing from the disease of misuse of substance. I am grateful to see the work being done. I will continue to advocate for services to help those in need, but these folks need your help. Whether it’s hospice, the Children’s Hospital, or those trapped in addiction, your generosity, either through volunteering or dollars, is saving lives and helping families.
I will never forget the generosity that I have seen this week. This is the Alberta we all know and love. Thank you for all you do to build our communities, and let’s rally around those who need us.
As always, we love to hear from you.
