Overdose Awareness Day: A Time to Remember Loved Ones and End Overdose

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

Local communities around the world are coming together on August 31st to remember those who have died or suffered permanent damage due to drug overdose.

Observed on the 31^st of August every year, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.

The public is invited to participate in a local event on August 31^st, from 7 – 9 pm at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion and Town Parking Lot in Oakland, MD. The Stories of Hope & Candlelight Vigil is designed to raise awareness that overdose affects all walks of life and it is preventable. Resource tables will be available with information about prevention, treatment, recovery, support groups, etc.

Face coverings and social distancing are required. During presentations, participants will be asked to remain in their vehicles where they will be able to hear the presenters through an AM Radio channel. Attendees may visit resource tables before and after the presentation portion of the event.

In 2019, there were 874 IOAD events of all kinds, held in 39 nations, with people and communities coming together to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises – one that, unfortunately, is only getting worse.

“The candlelight vigil is a touching way for families to remember a loved one they have lost, or who is still struggling with addiction,” said Sadie Liller, Prevention Coordinator at the Garrett County Health Department, and organizer for the event. “By coming together to remember them, we stand together to say that more needs to be done to end overdose in our community.”

The Stories of Hope will begin at 7:00 p.m. with several community members telling their stories. The candlelight vigil portion of the event will take place at the end of the evening in participants cars.

In addition, the event will be a part of the Project Purple Campaign, designed to reduce the stigma of mental health and substance use disorders. Participants are asked to wear purple and decorate their vehicles with purple ribbons or banners.

“Overdose can affect anybody and one of the messages of this day is that the people who overdose are our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters – they are loved and they are missed,” Liller said. “No family should ever have to go through the pain of losing a loved one because of overdose.”

International Overdose Awareness Day is organized by Penington Institute, an Australian not-for-profit organization. Locally, the event is partially funded by the Maryland Department of Health and SAMHSA. For more information visit bit.ly/oad2020 or call Sadie Liller at the Health Department at 301-334-7730 or at 301-616-0020.