Eradicating the stigma associated with addiction

Addiction is a disease, not a character flaw or moral failing. There’s a huge need to generate acceptance for people who have the disease of addiction; to free them from the shame that clings to the disease. Removing the stigma can encourage people who have the disease of addiction to seek help. It’s difficult to fight addiction, and no one should have to do it alone. People who are addicted deserve to be treated with respect, care, love, and concern by others, in the same way we care for anyone with a serious or chronic disease.

It is estimated that, on average, any person who dies from an overdose has 114 people in their lives who will be affected by their loss. Loving and accepting people with addiction can positively impact many more.

Raising money to save lives

Evangelist and publisher Dwight Moody said that when God wants to move a mountain, He doesn’t use iron bars, He uses earthworms. The mountain of addiction that is crushing far too many people is not going to be moved by a few heaves of a mighty iron bar; it’s going to take the work of hundreds and thousands of us coming together – like an army of earthworms dismantling a mountain, one particle at a time.

We need to raise funds, one dollar at a time, to attract the best providers to the field of addiction recovery; to get the attention and support of insurance companies so they cover treatment long enough for recovery to be truly anchored; to build enough bright, beautiful treatment facilities to meet the need. We need to raise funds to create state-of-the-art treatments, validated by cutting-edge research based on scientific understanding of how the brain needs to heal from addiction.

Ethan’s parents encourage you to consider using our DIY Fundraising tool to honor a loved one’s sober-versary, their angel-versary, or their birthday. Or, for someone whose fight against addiction is still continuing. Thank you.