Pubdate: Tue, 07 Sep 2004
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: M.A. Wilkie
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1183/a07.html

DETOX CENTRE DESERVES AID

Re: Detox centre saves lives and souls, AUG. 18.

My heart is sore. A lifeline is fraying, and I am so afraid that it will break.

The Ottawa Withdrawal Management Centre, formerly known as the Ottawa 
Detoxification Centre or "Detox" is, like so many other services, suffering 
from the lack of money.

In the last 12 months, 3,600 people have been taken in and cared for as 
they try to get their lives back together again. Where will they go without 
the centre? It accepts them when they are most in need and doesn't say, " 
we'll give you an appointment for two weeks from Tuesday."

How many other lives are touched by the ripple effect of the care given to 
the addicted person -- wives, husbands, children, friends, fathers and 
mothers like me? I wonder if the centre would be able to get more funding 
or donations if it had another name, Place of Hope and Caring for instance, 
or New Beginnings.

I think some people are scared of the words "addiction" and "alcoholic." 
They see images of drunk drivers, people passed out on the sidewalk or 
getting into fights. For every such image, there are hundreds of people 
from all walks of life who struggle with the disease of alcoholism, which 
can be controlled if the alcoholics can get help when they need it. That is 
what the centre provides.

Lack of finding has cut the centre back to 15 beds for men and five for 
women. The small centre provides a huge service and deserves all the help 
it can get.

M.A. Wilkie,

Ottawa 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D