Vol. No. Vol. 2518No. 4927
Wednesday, January 13, 2023 2016 Wednesday, June 21,
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CHOP FOR CHARITY: A Wimmera gymnast is travelling a little lighter – for a good cause. Eva Drendel, 15, chopped about 40 centimetres off her long locks on Monday afternoon, donating it to Wigs 4 Kids while raising money for the Kids with Cancer Foundation. Eva, centre, and her peers at Natimuk and District Gymnastic Club, including, from left, Dusty Schellens, Ella Hallam, Hailey Puls, Karla Aurthur and Isobelle Hamilton have raised more than $600 to date, with donations open for a few weeks yet. “It’s pretty special. It’s hard to let go of it, but it’s going to a really good cause and I think whoever gets it will enjoy having it,” she said. “I’ve only ever really had trims and my last was in January. It’s probably grown five-centimetres or so since then.” People can support Eva’s effort via fundraise.kidswithcancer.org.au/fundraisers/evadrendel/wigs-4-kids Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Building awareness W
BY ABBY WALTER
immera support services say drug overdoses in the region have reached alarming levels and are impacting people of all ages and circumstances.
Uniting Vic.Tas Wimmera and Grampians Community Health are combining forces to combat stigma and increase education about alcohol and other drug overdose. The organisations provide alcohol and other drugs support to people across the Wimmera. A drug overdose is the ingestion or application of a pharmaceutical or
illicit drug or other substance in quantities much greater than recommended. Not all overdoses are fatal. Uniting Wimmera alcohol and other drugs, AOD, team leader Dianne Hornsby said overdose was stigmatised, which meant there was also a lack of education about it. “Substance use can be alcohol, cannabis or other drugs and it can impact every person of any age,” she said. “People who seek treatment might have full-time jobs, or maybe not have a job. We see young people and elderly people. It can affect such a range of people in the community – it doesn’t matter where they come from.
“There is a massive impact when someone overdoses and it is not spoken about enough. “It can affect family members who struggle with the trauma and wider community members who have lost a friend or a neighbour. “The stigma means it is not acknowledged and that is heartbreaking.” In 2020, 41 Horsham residents, 20 Hindmarsh residents, 20 Yarriambiack residents, 14 West Wimmera residents and 27 Northern Grampians residents died due to overdose. The same year, 130 Horsham residents, 36 Hindmarsh residents, 22 West Wimmera residents, 48 Yarri-
ambiack residents and 98 Northern Grampians residents were admitted to hospital due to substance use. Grampians Community Health nonresidential withdrawal nurse Emma Mackley said in rural Australia there were 6.8 deaths to overdose per 100,000 people. In metropolitan areas, it is 6.1 deaths per 100,000. She said the largest demographic of people who died due to overdose were over the age of 50. “The overdose rate surpassed the road toll in 2008 and this trend has continued,” she said. “It is also important to note that opioids were the number one drug found
in unintentional overdose deaths, followed by benzodiazepines.” Ms Mackley said Grampians Community Health and Uniting Wimmera offered a variety of programs to support people using drugs, and their families. “Grampians Community Health offers AOD counselling, including brief intervention and in-depth counselling, family counselling, AOD case management, non-residential withdrawal services and rehabilitation programs, group program ‘Making a Change’, QUIT programs as well as drink and drug-drive programs,” she said. Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Careers expo • Laharum centenary celebration • Trio selected for state teams Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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School Holiday Craft Fun $4 Craft Workshops—Monday to Friday June 26 to 30 from 11am to 3pm Monday
Colour Canvas
Tuesday
Puppets to Sew
Wednesday
Explorer Hat
Thursday
Wooden Gardens and Planets
Friday
Glitter Lunchbox
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