Ronda Holland had her bags packed.
She was ready - and even told her mom - she was on her way to Vancouver.
And then she decided to do one more hit of cocaine.
含羞草研究社淚 loved my daughter; she has four wonderful kids. She wasn含羞草研究社檛 a druggie on the streets 含羞草研究社� She was straight for seven years.含羞草研究社�
Just one more hit, before Ronda Holland returned to detox, in Vancouver.
Pat Holland said it was that last hit that killed the Comox Valley resident.
It wasn含羞草研究社檛 the cocaine, said Holland, but the fentanyl it was laced with, that took her daughter含羞草研究社檚 life.
Ronda passed away Aug. 22 and left behind her mom, her two sets of twins, two siblings, and family and friends.
含羞草研究社淪he had no intentions of dying. She was going to Vancouver - she had made plans with her daughter to go. She just didn含羞草研究社檛 know (fentanyl) was in there. I wonder how many other drug addicts really don含羞草研究社檛 know that it含羞草研究社檚 in everything.含羞草研究社�
Her drug use came as no surprise to Pat, as she supported her daughter throughout her life. When she first found out about her daughter using street drugs years ago, she said there was no cause for concern about fentanyl.
含羞草研究社淚 knew what drugs she was on. It含羞草研究社檚 just a plain disease. You wouldn含羞草研究社檛 turn your daughter out if she had cancer. I never turned my back on her; I helped her each and every time as much as I could. There含羞草研究社檚 three things I learned about having an addict in my family: you can含羞草研究社檛 cure it, you can含羞草研究社檛 control it and you didn含羞草研究社檛 cause it.含羞草研究社�
Throughout the years, Ronda struggled with addiction. It was at her lowest point - not being able to see her children - when she made the decision to enter rehab. She was living on cardboard boxes on Hastings Street in Vancouver.
As she was walking down the street looking for her next hit, she saw a sign for First Step - a recovery centre - and walked in.
The facility accepted her immediately; she was in its program for nearly three years, and left sober. She stayed clean for seven years.
Pat said when her daughter found out that her husband was leaving her, 含羞草研究社渋t was just too much. She said over and over to me the pain was just too bad.含羞草研究社�
According to the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service, fentanyl has been detected in more than four of every five illicit-drug overdose deaths in the province through the first seven months of 2017.
From January through July, 706 of the 876 suspected illicit drug deaths had fentanyl detected, representing an increase of 143 per cent over the same period in 2016.
While preliminary data shows there were 91 suspected drug overdose deaths in July alone - almost three a day - nine out of every 10 deaths occurred indoors. No death occurred at any supervised consumption site or at any of the drug overdose prevention sites.
Pat, who lives in Campbell River, fully supports and plans to volunteer at the supervised consumption sites in the city and in the Comox Valley.
含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可绂these places will teach a drug addict how to (use), and how to do it safely if they含羞草研究社檙e going to do it at all. You hope they don含羞草研究社檛 - you hope they get scared straight but that含羞草研究社檚 not happening. They含羞草研究社檝e got to get to these places to get the help and education they need.含羞草研究社�
She has now become an advocate for education - particularly on learning how to use and teach others to properly use naloxone kits.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 important to educate these parents who just want to shut the door on their drug-addict kid. The bottom line here is I would much rather have my daughter alive and using under control than dead.
含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 take the horse to the water and make them drink. I [would] much rather have my child educated on where and how to use it - never do it alone - do the tasting or sipping thing and always have their kits ready.含羞草研究社�
Pat said she initially expected pushback from her family for handing out the kits, but everyone thanked her for doing so.
含羞草研究社淏ecause I含羞草研究社檓 doing this out of love. I含羞草研究社檓 not doing it because I含羞草研究社檓 calling you a drug addict, but I含羞草研究社檓 doing it because it含羞草研究社檚 out there and it can happen to anybody.含羞草研究社�
For more information or to pick up a naloxone kit, visit avi.org for Comox Valley and Campbell River locations of AIDS Vancouver Island.
