Pam Sanderson has come forward to share her story in the hopes of improving treatment options both for her family and for others going through similar struggles.
Pam’s 22-year-old son has been struggling with addiction to opioids and crystal meth. She has tried to get him help through in-patient treatment, but the existing 28-day program is not enough time to adequately treat an opioid or crystal meth addiction. As a result, she has seen her son fall back into his addiction.
Pam works for a non-profit organization and, like many families, cannot afford the private, out-of-province treatment options currently available.
“The treatment models in Saskatchewan are outdated, and the length of treatment is not nearly long enough to treat meth addiction,” Sanderson said. “We need lasting solutions that focus primarily on long-term care, and that don’t leave desperate families seeking out-of-pocket, out-of-province care.”
“More and more families are being let down while this government sits on the sidelines,” Chartier said. “How many more people need to come forward to share their stories before they finally step up and take some proper action?”