A forum to help drug and alcohol addicts, as well as the loved ones affected by drug use, will be held at the United Methodist Church.
Reporter Kristin Volk learned new statistics from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's officer revealed that the number of people who have died from heroin or fentanyl in the county continues to surge.
If people continue to die at this rate, the medical examiner's office predicts three times the number of deaths in 2016 versus 2015.
Becky Zatezalo, a member of the Strongsville United Methodist Church, created the Drug and Alcohol Awareness Forum, the first of its kind for the facility. Zatezalo's two brothers were addicts. Both died. The event will cover the nuerobiology of addiction and how it impacts family systems as well as society.
“It’s not a place of condemnation, it’s about education," said Zatezalo.
The three-part series is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. on April 8 at the church on Royalton Road.
At 6:30 p.m. on May 13, the second part of the series will focus on learning about resources from family support, recovery groups an rehabilitation.
“We’re in this together," said Sandy Premura, a N. Ridgeville resident whose son is in jail after overdosing on heroin last week. "Don’t be ashamed.”
Premura is scheduled to speak at the May 13th session along with Marilyn Gudin, a Parma resident who lost her son to heroin two years ago.
“I didn’t have anyone to turn to to say 'how did you feel?'" said Gudin.
The third part of the series will begin at 6:30 p.m. on June 10. It will go over addiction, the criminal justice system, and the health care system.
