Mount Pleasant hosts ‘Light the Way for Hope’ on national overdose awareness day

CHARLESTON, S.C (WCBD)— This week is international overdose awareness week and Wakeup Carolina, and the town of Mount Pleasant hosted the ‘light the way for hope’ event Thursday night.

The night honors those who have lost their lives to overdose. Wakeup Carolina founder, Nancy Steadman Shipman, spoke about how her son Creighton inspired her to bring people together.

“Grayton started this. My three children and I on his last day July 17th made a promise to him, and we didn’t know what that promise was going to be or what it would look like except no one, and no family should have to walk this walk alone,” said Shipman.

The event started with Narcan training and participants were able to take home a dose of the life-saving medicine. Then, a luminary ceremony took place to remember people who have died as a result of an overdose.

Family and friends gathering to remember their loved ones, providing support for other families who may be struggling to navigate substance abuse issues.

“The theme of this year across the country is together we can so really what we want to get out to the public is working together. Non profit law enforcement members of the community all working together to combat overdoses,” said Mount Pleasant officer and Overdose Response Coordinator Chris Rosier.

According to leaders in Mount Pleasant, the town has seen a significant drop in overdose cases over the past year through their partnerships with local non-profits working to combat the opioid epidemic.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department says they saw a 40% reduction in non-fatal overdoses in the last year.

“We were able to adopt with Charleston county the critical incident management system as a database base and what it is sharing information between law enforcement and members of the community and nonprofits and real time. That provided peer support which led to the 40% reduction. The biggest component is working together which led to the reduction,” said Rosier.

Shipman says events like these bring people to Wakeup Carolina for support.

“I commend each and every person who comes tonight for light the way for hope because not only is it family and friends of impact or loss but also what we always try to share is allies. Allies don’t have impact that they know of but they recognize there’s a need and a pain in the community and they want to be there for what’s needed and for support,”

Wakeup Carolina has support meetings and resources available for anyone who may be struggling with substance abuse or knows who is struggling.

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