Ride for Addiction Awareness - MAAR
Donation protected
Karen and Stephen Hardy currently live in Belgrade, Maine. Stephen is self-employed doing home improvement work and also is a Reiki Master and Karen is also self-employed as a mental health counselor.
We have both been affected in our lives by addiction and I have worked professionally in the field of addiction treatment. Over the last several years the affects have increased for us personally. Anyone who has loved someone with addictive behaviors knows the powerlessness that comes with it. So, we have decided to contribute to the epidemic to help where we can.
We are raising funds for two different organizations that locally impact and address Maine’s drug epidemic. We will do this by riding our bicycles around the State of Maine. We will be sharing information about addiction and its effects in the State of Maine. This page is dedicated to raising funds that will be donated to The Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery.
The function of the organization is, in part:
“The Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery is the statewide coalition that organizes people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and recovery allies into a unified recovery presence within Maine. We are a statewide recovery community organization that represents the many pathways of recovery. MAAR supporters celebrate recovery every day - we know firsthand that recovery works.”
In discussing the needs of the organization, it was brought to our attention that Narcan, the lifesaving drug used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, is in short supply and funds are not available at this time.
Narcan, Naloxone, is described by Drugs.com:
“Indications and Usage for Narcan
Narcan Nasal Spray is indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression.
Narcan Nasal Spray is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present.
Narcan Nasal Spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care.”
A report produced for Maine Department of Health and Human Services Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services by Hornby Zeller Associates, Inc. July 2015 can be found at this link.
Below are some statistics from this report that indicate the seriousness of the drug epidemic and the effects of it. These statistics are taken from pages 55-57 of the report.
“In 2014, Emergency Medical Services helped 5,296 individuals experiencing an overdose, a 24 percent increase since 2011 (4,260). The majority of overdose responses during 2014 were related to drugs or medications. In 2014, drug or medication related overdose responses accounted for 56 percent of total overdose responses, up from 51 percent in 2011.
In 2014, a total of 829 patients received naloxone administrations from Maine EMS responders; 521 (63%) of those patients were male and 340 (41%) were between the ages of 25 and 54. Females experiencing an overdose tended to be between the ages of 35 and 53.
At 39.3 deaths per 100,000, people between the ages of 30 to 34 had the highest rate of death due to substance abuse or overdose during 2014. The second highest rate was among people between the ages of 35 to 54 years old at 26.9 per 100,000.
Notably, the substance abuse and overdose death rates among 21 to 29 year olds and 30 to 34 year olds increased dramatically from 2013 to 2014. Although not shown, the total number of overdose deaths due to substance abuse have also increased 39 percent from 2012 (148) to 2014 (204).”
Donations made to this page will be donated directly to MAAR; if you would like to donate directly to MAAR on behalf of this ride, please add ‘Cycle for Addiction Awareness’ in a memo for tracking purposes.
We have both been affected in our lives by addiction and I have worked professionally in the field of addiction treatment. Over the last several years the affects have increased for us personally. Anyone who has loved someone with addictive behaviors knows the powerlessness that comes with it. So, we have decided to contribute to the epidemic to help where we can.
We are raising funds for two different organizations that locally impact and address Maine’s drug epidemic. We will do this by riding our bicycles around the State of Maine. We will be sharing information about addiction and its effects in the State of Maine. This page is dedicated to raising funds that will be donated to The Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery.
The function of the organization is, in part:
“The Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery is the statewide coalition that organizes people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and recovery allies into a unified recovery presence within Maine. We are a statewide recovery community organization that represents the many pathways of recovery. MAAR supporters celebrate recovery every day - we know firsthand that recovery works.”
In discussing the needs of the organization, it was brought to our attention that Narcan, the lifesaving drug used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, is in short supply and funds are not available at this time.
Narcan, Naloxone, is described by Drugs.com:
“Indications and Usage for Narcan
Narcan Nasal Spray is indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression.
Narcan Nasal Spray is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present.
Narcan Nasal Spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care.”
A report produced for Maine Department of Health and Human Services Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services by Hornby Zeller Associates, Inc. July 2015 can be found at this link.
Below are some statistics from this report that indicate the seriousness of the drug epidemic and the effects of it. These statistics are taken from pages 55-57 of the report.
“In 2014, Emergency Medical Services helped 5,296 individuals experiencing an overdose, a 24 percent increase since 2011 (4,260). The majority of overdose responses during 2014 were related to drugs or medications. In 2014, drug or medication related overdose responses accounted for 56 percent of total overdose responses, up from 51 percent in 2011.
In 2014, a total of 829 patients received naloxone administrations from Maine EMS responders; 521 (63%) of those patients were male and 340 (41%) were between the ages of 25 and 54. Females experiencing an overdose tended to be between the ages of 35 and 53.
At 39.3 deaths per 100,000, people between the ages of 30 to 34 had the highest rate of death due to substance abuse or overdose during 2014. The second highest rate was among people between the ages of 35 to 54 years old at 26.9 per 100,000.
Notably, the substance abuse and overdose death rates among 21 to 29 year olds and 30 to 34 year olds increased dramatically from 2013 to 2014. Although not shown, the total number of overdose deaths due to substance abuse have also increased 39 percent from 2012 (148) to 2014 (204).”
Donations made to this page will be donated directly to MAAR; if you would like to donate directly to MAAR on behalf of this ride, please add ‘Cycle for Addiction Awareness’ in a memo for tracking purposes.
Organizer
Stephen Hardy
Organizer
Belgrade, ME