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Website Aims to Help Struggling Youth

Niagara father started it after losing son to drug overdose

Keep an eye out in the Niagara region for a marketing campaign coming soon designed to help youth, anyone, struggling with addiction.

Steve Borisenko lost his son Jacob to a drug overdose in 2021, and spoke recently to Niagara Regional council.

He told them of a website called SaveMyLife.ca featuring graphics that'll be on billboards and bus stops.

"You need to get these kid's attention.  You need something, you can't just put up a site and say 'Hey, come to our website'.  You need something that's going to grab them, so when you get into the graphics themselves.... from what I know of what Jake went through, this is what he felt on the inside," he says. 

He says there are great resources in Niagara for those struggling, but difficult to sort through and get what is needed.

Janice Garnder-Spiece is with Community Addiction Services of Niagara, and spoke to the stigma attached to addiction during regional council, and that addiction has been associated with poor judgement and moral failing.  "In reality people from all walks of life can become addicted to substances, through no fault of their own.  Most substances are physically and mentally addictive, due to the profound effects they have on the brain and the body."

 

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