An educational event being held in Nanaimo will focus on harm reduction and involuntary care, after 94 toxic drug deaths were recorded in the city in 2024.
Hosted by Moms Stop the Harm, the panel will feature Dr. Jess Wilder and registered nurses Corey Ranger and RN Connie Paul, as well as Sara-Lee Edmonston, the vice-president of the Nanaimo and Area Network of Drug Users.
Gretchen Brown, family navigator with Moms Stop the Harm, said the panelists will go over evidence-based information on the crisis.
A family navigator with Moms Stop the Harm for the mid-Island, Brown works with families or individuals who are supporting loved ones who use substances, or those who use substances themselves, providing resource navigation and advocacy.
"There's a polarization within the community and I think it comes from not really knowing evidence-based information," she said. "Perhaps people are getting misinformed about these two topics, and I think bringing in people, medical professionals, who know the facts and are going to present it, not from a biased position but very evidence-based [will help]."
The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, with free admission at Brechin United Church. No pre-registration is required. People can e-mail questions to bcfamilynavigator@momsstoptheharm.com.
