HEROIN SYMPOSIUM DRAWS HUNDREDS
TO EAST END
Physicians and community leaders visited the Marriott East on
Wednesday, Oct. 28, for The Healing Place’s “Heroin: About Face”
event. The symposium was designed to bring awareness to the
ever growing problem of heroin abuse and, beyond talking about
the problem, ask those in attendance to look for solutions.
Dr. Greg Jones
Throughout the day, multiple speakers gave their stories to the
audience. They spoke candidly about personal confrontations
with addiction either within themselves, with a loved one or
through their work.
Geoff Wilson
The day’s keynote speaker was Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner. After
early trauma, she made a series of choices which led to an alcohol
and drug addiction at age 14. Upon being crowned Miss USA at
age 20, she sunk deeper into addiction with cocaine. Although
her story didn’t directly implicate heroin, the spiral of addiction
and the power of recovery were key for the group.
“Every step I took in recovery, I had more peace, and I had more
hope. For the first time in a long time, I started laughing, not just
to get attention, but because I felt joy,” Connor said. “Yes, I still
hurt. But I’m growing, and I’m going to be okay.”
Co