Stories of hope
Hundreds attend Summerside drug awareness forum
Gripping her notes in one hand she took the offered microphone with the other.
SUMMERSIDE – Gripping her notes in one hand she took the offered microphone with the other.
She smiled nervously at the sea of faces watching her expectantly.
“This is my first time telling my story,” said Kayla Broderick.
She glanced down to her notes, took a depth breath – and proceeded to tell a room full of strangers about her path through addiction and recovery.
By age 20 Broderick was a mother of two, sometimes homeless and addicted to opioids.
“I remember hitting rock bottom … I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was going to get treatment … I entered detox for the 13th time and by the grace of God I began to find a new way to live,” she said.
Several emotional minutes later, Broderick had many in the audience in tears. When she finally returned to her seat she did so to a standing ovation.
Her twin brother Kyle Buote was waiting at the side of the side of the stage for her. They shared a quick hug of support before she sat down.
But Buote didn’t sit – it was his turn to share his story of addiction and recovery.
Buote and Broderick were raised in separate homes, but both struggled with difficult aspects of their childhoods that lead them towards a parallel path of substance abuse and eventual opioid addiction.
The twins, now 28, were just two of the guest speakers at a public drug awareness forum held in the cafeteria of Summerside’s Three Oaks Senior High Wednesday evening.
The event was a joint effort by city Coun. Barb Ramsay and Summerside Police Services. They arranged a panel of speakers that included former addicts, healthcare professionals, addictions treatment specialists and others. All were available to answer questions from the public.
The comments made were wide-ranging. Where to get help, what resources the professionals felt they needed to improve their results and stories about struggles with alcoholism, drug and gambling addictions and even anorexia.
Constable Pat Daley with the Summerisde Police Services, who works in drug enforcement with the Prince District Joint Force Operations Unit, provided an overview of the city’s drug market.
Police are doing their best to tackle the problem, he said, but the demand for the product is there, and that makes their job difficult.
“Basically, if there is a demand the supply is finding its way (here),” he said.
“I would say methamphetamine is the biggest increase we’re seeing right now, along with crack cocaine.”
Ramsay said she was overjoyed at the response to the event and with participation from the public.
“There’s always more that can be done. And I think now that we’re speaking about it and now that that can of worms has been opened, if we speak loudly enough and the right people hear us we’re going to get something done.”
“People almost seemed relieved that the conversation has begun, that’s the feeling I’m getting, and they want a continuation of that. And we will continue that.”
But as much as there was talk of more money needed for services, more front-line workers in mental and addictions, the need for a women’s half-way house in Summerside and tighter control on what doctors are prescribing for pain – there was also stories of hope and of recovery.
Many of those who rose to ask questions also mentioned that they had kicked an addiction.
It can be done, there is light at the end of that journey, said Buote.
Both he and his sister have now been clean for years and they told the audience their lives are good today.
Broderick is pursuing her education. Buote works and freely shares his time speaking about his road to recovery.
“Life is good,” said Buote. “If there is anyone struggling here tonight – there is help.”
He also encouraged those struggling with addiction not to give up on themselves. He and so many others thought at one point or another they were too far gone to help.
They were wrong.