A grandson at McDonald’s. A daughter at Wegman’s. A partner at a gas station. A complete stranger at a post office. These are the stories of overdoses in Broome County that are heard every day at Truth Pharm. The modern American opioid crisis has been spiraling out of control ever since the advent of OxyContin, particularly affecting and destroying post industrial areas like this one along the way. Broome County has the 4th highest fatal drug overdose rate in New York State. It has reached the point where opioid addiction rates here are now equal to those of alcoholism. In response to these heartbreaking realities, Truth Pharm was born. The grassroots organization was created to provide resources, education, and empathy within our community. Since its advent, Truth Pharm has trained individuals in Narcan, the overdose reversal nasal spray, and installed emergency kits throughout the county. They host education and prevention programs, based on a harm reduction model, that reduces stigmatization and safety risks. They notify residents about open spaces available in residential treatment facilities, which are often hard to find since there are more applicants than beds, and lobby politicians at both the state and local level, advising them on legislation that will keep people safe and alive. Those who have lost loved ones are welcome to join Truth Pharm at their healing circles, or participate in the Trail of Truth, a large, annual memorial service that honors those we have lost (article about the event in the link below).
Truth Pharm is also expanding to include fentanyl testing strip trainings for those who interact with drugs. In addition, they are starting a new program with the Lourdes Hospital system that will allow individuals who are admitted after an overdose to consult with someone trained and knowledgeable about opioid addiction; a service that is not currently available. Truth Pharm’s plethora of services continue to be more and more essential in Broome County. Since the beginning of 2019, there has been an uptick in deaths, as all kinds of drugs become increasingly laced more deadly opioids like fentanyl. Just this past weekend, two people died. What will happen next weekend?
The opioid epidemic is a problem that requires urgent and thought out solutions. I know it might be disadvantageous or repetitive to spotlight a charity that the class is still considering for a grant, but when I was thinking about the organizations I was most passionate about, the ones I think could benefit most from our gift, I kept coming back to Truth Pharm. I became involved with the organization during my sophomore year, when I began researching the impact of secondary stigma on family members of people with substance use disorder. I was so impressed by the passion and drive by those who work with Truth Pharm that I decided to get involved in any way I could. I have seen the day to day efforts this organization puts into their cause, and I am continually awed by their achievements. As I said in my individual reflection paper, the lived experiences of the Truth Pharm volunteers have forced them to realize, perhaps better than most, the value and importance of each, singular person. This mindset is key in fighting the opioid epidemic. This mindset saves lives.
https://www.bupipedream.com/news/96709/truth-pharm-hosts-memorial-downtown-to-honor-victims-of-substance-use/
Truth Pharm is also expanding to include fentanyl testing strip trainings for those who interact with drugs. In addition, they are starting a new program with the Lourdes Hospital system that will allow individuals who are admitted after an overdose to consult with someone trained and knowledgeable about opioid addiction; a service that is not currently available. Truth Pharm’s plethora of services continue to be more and more essential in Broome County. Since the beginning of 2019, there has been an uptick in deaths, as all kinds of drugs become increasingly laced more deadly opioids like fentanyl. Just this past weekend, two people died. What will happen next weekend?
The opioid epidemic is a problem that requires urgent and thought out solutions. I know it might be disadvantageous or repetitive to spotlight a charity that the class is still considering for a grant, but when I was thinking about the organizations I was most passionate about, the ones I think could benefit most from our gift, I kept coming back to Truth Pharm. I became involved with the organization during my sophomore year, when I began researching the impact of secondary stigma on family members of people with substance use disorder. I was so impressed by the passion and drive by those who work with Truth Pharm that I decided to get involved in any way I could. I have seen the day to day efforts this organization puts into their cause, and I am continually awed by their achievements. As I said in my individual reflection paper, the lived experiences of the Truth Pharm volunteers have forced them to realize, perhaps better than most, the value and importance of each, singular person. This mindset is key in fighting the opioid epidemic. This mindset saves lives.
https://www.bupipedream.com/news/96709/truth-pharm-hosts-memorial-downtown-to-honor-victims-of-substance-use/
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteI personally really enjoyed the way you structured this piece. I thought it was very well organized and overall very thought provoking. I really liked the way you started off by explaining that truly anyone can be a victim of the modern American opioid crisis. Whether it is a stranger you meet on the street, or your childhood best friend, anyone can be an opioid addict or victim.
When our class was split into groups and assigned 14 organizations to research, I was assigned Truth Pharm. As is read their responses to our form, I instantly fell in love with the work that they did and their mission to repair Broome/Binghamton's opioid crisis. I remember pushing really hard in my group to give Truth Pharm a chance and to put them into the “highly considering” column. When our classes voted Truth Pharm into the next round of consideration, I recall being relieved and hopeful for success in our class. In my eyes, Truth Pharm is the underdog of our class, and has the possibility of making it all the way. I also remember not too long ago reading that the opioid crisis is one of the top issues on Binghamton's needs assessment. The work that Truth Pharm does is truly special and it seems that they have new and innovative ideas to solving the issue. I am unsure however, how successful are. How does the reverse nasal spray actually work? Do many people attend the education and prevention programs? How successful are the fentanyl testing strips? I really hope that the new initiatives Truth Pharm is doing is successful and shows positive results.
I really look forward to hearing your presentation on Thursday. I feel that if the class doesn’t end up going with Truth Pharm for our main donation, the least we can do is donate through your charity pitch. In addition, I look forward to hearing a little bit more about your involvement with the organization as a whole. I know that you have spent some time working with them and you work closely with the director. I recall from the form that the director just started receiving a salary for their work with the organization. Which leaves me with my next question: How many volunteers as a whole are involved with Truth Pharm? Like I said, I am looking forward to hearing your presentation on Thursday and I wish you luck! I hope Truth Pharm wins!
Hi Hannah,
ReplyDeleteAs Matthew already said, I think you did a phenomenal job with this piece. The opening immediately drew me in and I was hooked the entire time reading it. I also thought your post was informational and specific, and I think it is very powerful to hear what you, personally, thought of those working there and the foundation as a whole.
For almost a year now, Binghamton has been my home and I am grateful to be a part of it. That being said, I feel like it is just as much our responsibility as students coming to college here as it is of those who already lived here to make sure that our streets are as safe and drug-free as possible. I very much believe Truth Pharm, based on what you have described and other data, has and can have a huge impact on the opioid crisis in Binghamton. Truth Pharm was started in 2015 and ever since then, deaths from opioid abuse have decreased significantly. In fact, the biggest decrease happened in 2018. In 2017, there had been fifty-five recorded opioid overdose deaths and in 2018 there were less than half at twenty-two deaths. When asked, Alexis Pleus, Truth Pharm's Executive Director, believes that this decrease in opioid deaths is due to the public becoming more and more educated on the dangers of opioids.
In addition, it's clear from your Blog that Truth Pharm works hard to educate the public and I think that is crucial for change. I also love how Truth Pharm is not just there to help those who have or still abuse opioids, but also for family and friends who are effected.
I'm excited to see your presentation tomorrow and hope to hear more of your personal stories and ideas about Truth Pharm!
Break a leg,
Yann
Hi Hannah,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your charity pitch. Drugs are a scary thing, and the fact that Truth Pharm is there to help people who are affected by this is a great organization to advocate for.
When it comes to addiction, it's important to seek help. People affected by drugs are in an endless cycle where they spend all of their money on drugs that hurt them, but because they are addicted to them, they don't know what else to do. They think that it is impossible to stop and the idea of quitting is unattainable. That is why it especially touches my heart to see what Truth Pharm does: help people who need help.
We live in an area affected very much by drugs. It is arguably the biggest problem in the Binghamton area, and there should be more attention on it. One thing I found that I really liked in your charity pitch is that they're expanding to give people fentanyl strip testing. This touched me because while they continue to do the great work they do, they can also train people outside of the organization- but in the Binghamton area, where attention on drug prevention and helping those already affected- to spot the signs of an overdose and try to help those when someone else might not be able to. Spreading awareness and knowledge on the issue helps to stop and furthermore prevent the issue for the future.
I remember always learning about the "War on Drugs", and now seeing our current administration try to stop drugs by keeping the "bad people out" of the United States. While that may or may not work, it makes me so happy to hear that there is progress going on in our Binghamton area from a local non-profit organization.
Truth Pharm is a great organization to advocate for. They help people who come to them in a time of need, train people both within and outside of the organization, and try to make things as affordable as possible, such as medical kits (like the one you showed us in class).
What I think was my favorite part of your charity pitch in your class was probably a lot of other people's favorite part: the poem. I saw the fire, the passion, and the flare and emotion when you read the poem in our class. I felt like I was there hearing you read it aloud live, and it moved me. It was a beautiful and powerful poem, and it tugged on my heartstrings for sure. It doesn't surprise me that this organization is one of our five finalists for our class' grant.
I look forward to voting in Tuesday's class.
Best,
Matthew Sturm
Honestly, Hannah your charity pitch last week really moved me. Always being a student into philanthropy and giving back, I did my own research my freshman year into a lot of the issues in the Binghamton area. Especially, after taking my HDEV 100 class and volunteering at a homeless shelter last year, I learned a lot about the drug problem in Binghamton as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is actually very scary and sad how big of a problem this is up here. I am use to hearing doing drugs like marijuana, but pills and other sorts of extreme drugs I have never heard of people doing where I’m from. However, the number of people in Binghamton and other rural areas that end up strung out on these drugs is really scary. Then to see these companies continue distributing these drugs and not caring what happens to these human beings after is even more disheartening.
Thank you for reading to us your poem and explaining the importance of this issue in the Binghamton area. Your poem is what really moved me because I felt your passion and your sincereness to this cause. The stigmatism of drugs on people of lower socioeconomic statuses is such a negative one in society, when there is so much more to it than just people being on drugs. These people have other mental health issues and roots to their problems, that should be explored first before having such negative stigmas be placed on them due to their actions.
I support your charity pitch and I support the work that True Pharm does. Thank you so much for sharing this with our class.
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteYour piece on the Truth Pharm organization as a whole and your connection with the organization is truly moving. This cause is near and dear to my heart, as in my senior year of high school, a young girl on the path to graduate in only four months passed away from opioid overdose, and a week later, her girlfriend committed suicide out of the emotional pain and suffering the overdose had caused her. The story of these two girls, classmates of mine, sent a shockwave throughout my entire high school, and a wave of sadness prevailed. It was truly heartbreaking, and it brought attention to the deadly issue of the modern opioid crisis.
I think it is extremely significant how this grassroots organization not only focuses on those who have experienced trouble with substance abuse, but also their family members, and I appreciate your attention to this detail as well, with your research on the secondary stigmatization of family members related to those who struggled with substance abuse. Services such as the Trail of Truth or the healing circles you mentioned in your charity pitch are often overlooked in the eyes of those who do not have a close connection with the issue, but to those daughter, brothers, partners, and friends affected, it can mean everything on the path to healing.
Truth Pharm is not only providing services to affected individuals of substance abuse and their family members, it is bringing attention to the current world opioid crisis. Broome County is an example of its this issue's deadliness, with its high rates of overdose. It is too frequent that this issue is overlooked until an individual is personally affected and this needs to be brought to end. By training and educating as many people as we can, as Truth Pharm does, it is very possible for this issue to be tackled. Posting Narcan kits around town and developing programs at Lourdes Hospital are the very necessary steps to save a life, and to save a family member or friend from emotional pain. For Broome County, this mission is a priority, and I hope Truth Pharm continues to successfully answer this call.