Calgary non-profit offers free naloxone clinics to fight stigma of drug addiction

Rosalind Davis wants as many people as possible to know how to use a naloxone kit.

She is the founder of the Calgary advocacy group Changing the Face of Addiction.

"We are trying to put together as many informational sessions as we possiblycan," Davis said.

Davis started the group shortly after her 34-year-old partner, Nathan Huggins-Rosenthal, died of a fentanyl overdose in 2015.

Her passion is to change people's attitudes about addictionand treat people who are dealing with it with compassion.

• Conversation over confrontation: Advocate fights fear of addiction centre with cup of coffee

The group is now partnering with Safeworks, a needle distribution program through Alberta Health Services that aims to educate people about opioids, who is using themand how to help.

"There is so much shame and stigma that comes with addiction that it can be really hard for families to speak out and to tell their story," Davis told CBCNews.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Opioid overdose deaths in Alberta jump 40 per cent over last year

Alex Unger, 22, volunteerswith Changing the Face of Addiction.

She hasdealt with opioid addiction and believes normalizing the idea of using naloxone will help lessen the stigma around opioidssuch asfentanyl.

"It doesn't really just happen to people on the street and people who struggle with it everyday. It could be a lot of people overdosing that had their first time or just used once in a while. And Ithink that's not being reached enough," Unger said.

The group has only held one session so far, but registration was full.

"We encourage people if you want one in your community then to reach out to us and we'll see what we can do to come out and create that, because it's so important. We think the more people we can reach, the more lives we can save."

• Hear Rosalind Davis speak with the Calgary Eyeopenerabout her work preventing overdoses

The next information session and naloxone clinic is scheduled forMondayevening.

For more information, check out theChanging the Face of Addiction Facebook page.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Killer pleads guilty to fatal stabbing in puppy sale gone wrong