Prevention IS better than cure
In 2009, my first-born son Francis committed suicide after a nine-year battle with heroin addiction, by hanging himself. He was only 29. He believed his life to be pointless. The hole his passing left is deep and dark and filled with anguish. My grief is enduring and endless. As with his birth, so his death changed my life.
Today, my youngest son Liam is a recovering methamphetamine addict. He is 37 and, try as he might not to, has been relapsing just weeks after leaving one rehab or another for the past five years. His self-esteem disintegrates with every failed attempt to reclaim his life.
The drugs of choice may be different, but I will not lose another son through failing to reintegrate back into society.
The fact is that it’s reintegrating into every-day, working life after going through rehabilitation that poses the greatest challenge, and dangers.
There are triggers and trips everywhere and recovering addicts must master these if they wish to cope after years of dependence.
I’m therefore establishing a retreat in the Cape Province of South Africa which will provide the framework necessary for life-changing support through accredited skills training in farming, gardening/permaculture, beekeeping, carpentry, metal work, building, caring for rescue animals and cooking…
My mission is to inspire recovering addicts to commit to overcoming temptation; to provide them with coping skills for life and to empower them with their success. To cope.
I’m raising funds to help me kickstart ROAR and to provide the means to successfully promote the retreat until such time as it becomes self-supporting.
ROAR will empower recovering addicts who are not yet able to live or work on their own. Like my Liam. It takes time and it’s expensive; not everyone has the means to pay for the help they need for the chance to change.
I ask everyone who has lost a loved one to addiction to please donate £10 toward my cause.
I’m NOT talking about primary care; I’m talking about after-care.
Every £10 donated will help me to achieve this, and more. All monies raised and all expenses will be fully accounted for.