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13 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M arch 21,2019 theifp.ca manent vision impairment that seems to be from a head injury sustained while high, the Booses' youngest son will forever be changed from opioids. "Addiction is a disease, an inability to stay away from whatever it is that's gotten a hold of you," said Steve. "And it has broken us so many times. We would wonder if our mar- riage was coming to an end, if our lives were coming to an end." And while it might not sound like it, Austin may be one of the lucky ones - according to statistics from Halton Region's latest opioid monitoring report, there were 30 possible opioid-related deaths among Halton residents between January and Sep- tember 2018 (the most re- cent time period for which data was available). "There were more con- firmed opioid-related deaths among Halton resi- dents in 2017 (40) compared to every previous year," adds the report. "The most deaths have occurred among people aged 25 to 44." That same year, the rate of opioid-related deaths among residents of any age was seven per 100,000 in Halton, compared to nine deaths per 100,000 in Onta- rio. "From 2013 to 2017, the rate of opioid-related deaths has increased in both Halton and Ontario," says the report. Opioids are also respon- sible for their fair share of 911 calls, with Halton Re- gion paramedics respond- ing to 19 calls in January 2019 alone for suspected overdoses - more than dou- ble the nine calls received in January 2018. It's statistics like this that motivate the Booses to share what they can about the potentially fatal drug with other local residents whose loved ones are struggling with addiction. "We have to do some- thing, we have to talk to people," said Kathleen. "This is about getting the word about these danger- ous drugs." While the driving force behind the upcoming Cir- cles Around Addiction workshop was the Booses' faith, Steve emphasized that the sessions - which will run from 1 to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on March 27 - are not formal church events and are open to anybody looking for resources and support. "We're not coming at this from religion - this is people helping people," he said. "We're doing this as mom and dad. We've got to stand with each other in circles, because you can't stand alone and have the strength to deal with it." The event will include speakers from Halton Re- gional Police, ADAPT and Nar-Anon, along with the pharmacist from George- town Pharmacy, which serves as the location of a local clinic that adminis- ters opiate replacement therapy. A three-genera- tion family that has also been affected by addiction will also be taking part in the presentations. To make the space com- fortable and welcoming for everyone, a quiet room will be provided during the workshops, along with adult colouring books and refreshments; the church will also remain open be- tween sessions. "Our ultimate goal is to love and comfort people in pain," said Kathleen. "Peo- ple involved in the opioid crisis need love, whether it is the addict or those around them." When the mother of three told her youngest of their plans for the work- shop, she said that he voiced his support. Unfor- tunately, he won't be able to attend as he remains in jail. "He said, 'Mom, do you think I want this life? If you can save one person, then it's worth it.'" For now, Kathleen finds a small amount of solace in Austin's imprisonment. "At least I know where he's sleeping," she said tearfully. "When he's in jail, we hear from him ev- ery day." Knox Presbyterian Church is located at 116 Main St. S., Georgetown. For more information, con- tact Kathleen Boose at 905- 703-0581 or kathleen.cir- cle2@gmail.com. NEWS Continued from page 12 Steve and Kathleen Boose's son, 20-year-old Austin. Kathleen Boose Halton Region graphic Limited time lease offers available through Honda Financial Services Inc. (HFS), to qualified retail customers on approved credit. Weekly payments include freight and PDI (ranges from $1,655 to $1,795 depending on model), tire & environmental fee ($21) [This fee covers the cost to Honda Canada of collecting and recycling tires], A/C charge ($100), and OMVIC fee ($10). Taxes, licence, insurance and registration are extra. ΩRepresentative weekly lease example: 2019 CR-V LX 2WD CVT (Model RW1H3KES) // 2019 Civic LX Sedan 6MT (Model FC2E5KEX) // 2019 Accord LX-HS Sedan (Model CV1F1KE) on a 60-month term with 260 weekly payments at 3.99% // 1.99% // 2.99% lease APR. 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