By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

Light a candle for a life that was extinguished too soon.

For International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) that happens during the month of August, people can ‘light’ a battery-operated candle and write down a memory of someone they have lost to an opioid overdose. IOAD falls on Aug. 31.

This year, Lake Region Recovery Center (LRRC) is shifting the focus from the statistics of opioid-related fatalities to distributing NARCAN®, the medicine used to reverse an overdose.

“We have established a designated area at the entrance of the building, where individuals are encouraged to share their memories or stories in our Memory Book,” according to LRRC Executive Director Tracey Martin.

“Additionally, NARCAN® has been made available for visitors to access.The Lakes Region Recovery Center aims to ensure that every household possesses NARCAN® as a precautionary measure. Having NARCAN® readily available at all times is imperative, as individuals may never anticipate needing it, yet the absence of this medication could prove critical in a single unforeseen instance,” Martin said.

NARCAN® is the trademark for the generic drug naloxone. The medicine comes in a nasal spray and is a treatment designed to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, according to Wikipedia. 

“LRRC offers immediate training to individuals interested in carrying this critical life-saving tool. As the pioneer recovery center in the State of Maine to introduce an external NARCAN® box, our mission is to ensure accessibility to this vital resource for anyone in need, even during non-operational hours,” Martin said.

There is a ray of hope in the midst of the opioid crisis, the number of fatalities from overdoses decreased by 16 percent in 2023, according to Gov. Janet Mills office. That announcement was made in mid-May of this year. The 2023 statistics from the Center For Disease Control (CDC) reveal the first annual decrease since 2018.

However, there is still work to be done, according to Martin.

“Although the overdose figures are showing a decrease, the number of fatalities remains unacceptably high,” she said.

“Our primary focus is on enhancing support systems, allocating resources effectively, and prioritizing education. It is imperative to educate the public about the underlying reasons behind substance use. We encourage individuals to pose inquiries, including the more challenging ones,” Martin said.

“Should a community member be uncertain about how to offer assistance or feel unequipped to do so, they are welcome to reach out via phone or in person,” she said.

While remembering someone who has died might be a quiet time of reflection for some, it can be a time when people need to reach out for support. That can be found at LRRC.

“Staff and volunteers are available to engage with individuals seeking to share memories or stories about their loved ones,” Martin said.

The theme for IOAD 2025 is #together we can.

“LRRC has always believed that as long as we keep talking about this, providing resources, kindness and support, that we can help keep people from dying. We are not giving up. We are not going anywhere. This is a community problem. We can’t do this alone so we need your help,” Martin said.

“Lakes Region Recovery Center is proud of the work we have done over the last 6.5 years. We established the NARCAN® service at Bridgton Hospital. Collaborating with Mary Fernald, a nurse at BH, we recognized the need to enhance the care for individuals surviving an overdose. It was evident that merely treating and discharging them was inadequate. Thus, we formulated a comprehensive strategy to ensure that patients receive education on overdose prevention and are supplied with NARCAN® upon being discharged,” she explained.

“We are providing education and support at the local high school to enlighten a wide audience on the significance of carrying NARCAN®. While we hope that it remains unused, we are optimistic that it could potentially save a life in a critical situation,” she said.

To learn more about Substance Abuse Disorder or about acquiring NARCAN®, check out the website, lrrcbridgton.org or Facebook page or call (207) 803-8707. The center is located 2 Elm St in Bridgton.