The three days I spent with my fellow lead advocates, our fearless leader, and the Foundations Recovery Network staff were incredibly rewarding. I learned a lot, met so many wonderfu people, and bonded with a great Heroes in Recovery team. Even though I was meeting these folks for the first time, the genuine camaraderie I felt was amazing.
Besides me, this year's team of lead advocates includes: a mother who lost her son to drugs; two women who are in long-term recovery; and an incredibly brave young woman who got sober as a teenager and has taken on the lead advocate role...at the tender age of 20. (She's also running the Boston Marathon this year!)
Whether we were sitting in training, eating terrific food at one of several restaurants, doing yoga and meditation, or taking goofy photos of ourselves at our hotel, we all enjoyed each other's company. We have a great team and will definitely succeed at knocking down barriers and breaking the stigma associated with addiction and mental health issues.
A final note: One of my responsibilities as a Heroes in Recovery lead advocate is to collect stories from people about recovery, life, and hope. More than 600 people--including me--have shared their stories so far. (You can read the stories here.) These courageous stories serve as inspiration for others. Real stories by real people. What a great way to make people struggling with addiction realize that they are not alone.
If you would like to share your story of recovery, or the story of a family member or loved one, I would be absolutely thrilled. Please contact me through my blog--there's a contact form at the bottom right of this page--and I will walk you through the process.
Together, we can make a difference.
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| The 2014 Heroes in Recovery lead advocate team. (Photo by a very kind Courtyard by Marriott employee.) |
Awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so great Dean! Glad that you are getting involved with Heroes in Recovery!
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