For every person experiencing a substance abuse problem, on average, at least NINE others are affected – partners, spouses, children, parents, friends, employers, and co-workers. Although family members, friends, employers and co-workers are often in the best position to intervene, on average, significant others do not seek direct help for their loved ones substance abuse or addiction problem for at least nine years. Those affected by a significant other’s substance abuse, may themselves experience significant physical, emotional, social and spiritual stressors. Some commonly experience anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness when trying to deal with their loved one.
You Are Not Alone! WE KNOW THAT: Family members are often highly motivated to not only understand, intervene and support their loved ones experiencing problems with mental health and substance use, but also able to participate in the change and recovery process in restoring their relationship. The sooner one receives the help they need to recover the better the prognosis for recovery. We Are Here to Help!

JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL SILVER LINING GALA IN SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
JUNE 19TH, – 6:00 – 9:30pm
NORWOOD HOTEL.
A wonderful evening featuring:
Michael Redhead Champagne
Michael is an Ininew public speaker, writer, community advocate and on-screen personality, his storytelling connects communities across North America and around the world. Michael’s commitment to action and solutions comes from his experiences growing up in Winnipeg’s North End, his identity as a member of Shamattawa First Nation and his connection to the child welfare system. He aims to walk his talk, revolutionize harmful systems, and ensure those with lived experience design, deliver and evaluate any initiative that affects them. Michael’s first children’s book, “We Need Everyone” from HighWater Press is now available everywhere books are sold. Brandi Vezina.
Brandi Vezina, a Red River Métis singer/songwriter, blends classic country and rock in her music, drawing from her life experiences. Her latest single, “Old Fashioned Values,” produced with Nashville’s Styles Haury, resonates with over 200K Spotify streams and airs on Sirius XM. Inspired by her Métis heritage, Vezina’s music celebrates tradition and family. She recently won the Manitoba Country Music Association’s NCI Indigenous Country Music Award and was recognized by Front Porch Music. With upcoming Nashville collaborations and new releases planned, Vezina aims to captivate audiences with her energetic performances, promising an unforgettable experience on stage. Our Community Champion Award
Is awarded to someone who embodies resilience, compassion, and determination. They have overcome personal struggles with addiction and have made significant positive changes in their life. They actively support others in their recovery journey, offering encouragement, guidance, and empathy. They advocate for awareness, education, and destigmatization of addiction and mental health issues. They are committed to personal growth, continuous learning, and helping others to achieve their full potential. They inspire hope, instill courage, and foster a sense of community and belonging among those affected by addiction.

Charlotte Nolin
This year, SRWC will be awarding the Community Champion award to Charlotte Nolin. Charlotte is a 71-year-old Tastawiniyew Otipemisiwak (two-spirit Métis) who has devoted her life to protect the children. A survivor of the Sixties Scoop, she walks with first-hand knowledge of the trauma that Indigenous peoples must overcome today. The Community Champion award recognizes individuals who display resilience, compassion, and determination. They’ve conquered addiction, fostering positive change in their lives. They support others in recovery, advocate for awareness and destigmatization, and inspire hope, courage, and community among those impacted by addiction and mental health challenges.

The extent of the brain’s capacity to return to “normal” after long term sobriety is not fully understood. Research is indicating that some alcohol induced brain changes in thinking, feeling, and behaving can improve and possibly reverse with months of abstinence. There is also evidence that the brain rewires – other circuits can compensate to hep restore compromised function.

Women are more vulnerable to the effect of alcohol due to metabolic differences, with increased risk of cancers of the mouth, breast, liver, colon, even at low levels of consumption. Alcohol-related cognitive decline and shrinkage of the brain develop more quickly for women than men. Women who drink are also at risk of damage to the heart muscle at lower levels of consumption and over fewer years of drinking than men.

Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works. Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgement to connect. This results in a higher likelihood of injuries, impaired use of a motorized vehicle, and other negative outcomes.
Speech: Becomes slurred and inarticulate as consumption increases.
Vision: Both depth perception and peripheral vision are affected by alcohol use.
Hearing: Hearing also diminishes. That is the reason at an event the volume of speech rises, as hearing diminishes.
Memory Impairments: Alcohol can have a particular disruptive effect on human memory. 1) Encoding – storing information in short-term memory banks. 2) Consolidation – transferring and integrating the information to long-term memory in a lasting form; and 3) Retrieval – the retrieval of the information from long term memory banks.
Blackouts: It is not a question of not remembering – there is no memory to retrieve. Alcohol impairs the encoding so the information was never transferred to the Long-term memory banks. At an event where people are drinking – some seem to repeat the same story over and over again – with no memory of having done so. If it is not transferred within a few minutes it is lost.
Passing Out: Alcohol is a depressant that impacts the whole body, including the central nervous system (the brain), cardiovascular system (the heart), and respiratory system (the lungs and breathing). When someone drinks too much alcohol, or too quickly, it can overwhelm or suppress the healthy performance of these systems. Essentially the individual has anaesthetised their brain. A person can die from alcohol poisoning if their respiratory system (breathing) shuts down. This is a very dangerous situation and the person may die of alcohol poisoning (overdose).

The developing adolescent brain is particularly vulnerable to alcohol-related harm. When adolescents drink, alcohol can disrupt critical brain development and interfere with structural patterns and functional development. There is an increased risk for developing alcohol use disorders not only during adolescence but also in adulthood.

Alcohol has been designated a #1 preventative cancer causer by the World Health Organization (WHO) and by Health Canada, along with asbestos, radiation and tobacco. The WHO published a statement in The Lancet that there is “no safe amount of alcohol consumption that is safe for our health”, particularly during pregnancy. Alcohol causes at least 7 types of cancer, including the liver (cirrhosis), bowel, and breast cancer. The risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol that is consumed. Binge drinking raises alcohol levels quickly for men (4-5) drinks, women (3 -4 drinks) to (0.08 %) within two hours.