WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center participates in regional free naloxone day

September 11, 2023

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - On September 14, 2023, all 13 Appalachian states, including West Virginia, will be hosting over 300 free naloxone events for the first ever Appalachian Save a Life Day. A region wide map of events can be found at www.savealifeappalachia.org.  

Naloxone is a medication with no adverse side effects that works to reverse opioid overdoses. One common brand is Narcan, an easy-to-use nasal spray. Naloxone distribution has expanded in recent years. In 2023, the FDA approved two naloxone nasal products for over-the-counter distribution. 

It’s no secret that the overdose epidemic has especially devastated the Appalachian region. CDC data shows that half of the ten states with the worst overdose rates are a part of Appalachia. Appalachian states lost 40,560 loved ones in 2021, representing 38% of the nation’s fatalities that year.  

According to Iris Sidikman, Appalachian Save a Life Day coordinator, this day of action is about showing that Appalachia is also a place people can look to for solutions.  

“We are a region rich in mutual aid,” Sidikman said. “We’re a place where everyone has lost somebody. And on Sept. 14th and every other day - we are turning that pain into care, courage, and power.” 

Save a Life Day organizers started in 2020 with a two-county pilot in WV, which then expanded to 17 WV counties in 2021, and last year all 55 counties in West Virginia participated. Now, just three years since the effort began in the state with the worst overdose rate, West Virginia-based SOAR is working with over 150 counties across 13 states–supporting neighbors in every direction, from New York to Mississippi and Kentucky to Virginia.  

The theme for September 14th is “Partnering with People with Lived Experience.” Many sites won’t just be serving people who use drugs or people in recovery but working alongside them - to organize outreach teams to high-risk areas while making sure naloxone gets into the hands of people who need it the most. Recovery coaches will also be present and available at hundreds of events. 

Pick-up sites will include churches, clinics, libraries, colleges, recovery homes, gas stations, fire departments, groceries, parks, and dollar stores.   

Locations for Berkeley County include:  

  • Family Dollar at 605 Winchester Ave., Martinsburg 

  • Berkeley Day Report Center at 520 S. Raleigh St., Martinsburg 

  • Goodwill at 100 Eagle School Rd., Martinsburg 

  • Martinsburg Town Square at 100 E. King St, Martinsburg 

  • Berkeley Co. DHHR at 433 Mid-Atlantic Parkway, Martinsburg 

  • Fire Station 1 at 200 N. Raleigh St., Martinsburg 

  • New Leaf Dispensary at 776 Foxcroft Ave., Martinsburg 

  • Family Dollar at 4996 Gerrardstown Rd., Inwood 

  • 7-Eleven at 8949 Williamsport Pike, Falling Waters 

  • Reed’s Pharmacy at 71 Cowardly Lion Dr., Hedgesville 

 

Locations for Jefferson County include: 

  • Jefferson County Community Ministries at 238 W. Washington St., Charles Town 

  • Knutti Hall at 102 W. High St., Shepherdstown 

  • 7 Sea’s Food Store at 6828 Charles Town Rd., Kearneysville 

  • Mountaineer Recovery Center at 3094 Charles Town Rd., Kearneysville 

 

Locations for Morgan County include:  

  • Morgan County Homeless Coalition at 47 Union St., Berkeley Springs  

  • War Memorial Hospital at 1 Healthy Way, Berkeley Springs  

  • CNB Bank at 101 S. Washington St., Berkeley Springs 

  • Union Chapel UMC at 10123 Valley Rd., Berkeley Springs 

 

“I’m excited to see this event continuing to grow with dedicated people distributing Narcan, which will undoubtedly reduce the likelihood of overdose deaths in communities across West Virginia,” says Stephanie Stout, co-organizer of the Eastern Panhandle’s events and Potomac Highlands Guild Regional Drug Coordinator for Region 2.  

Caroline Wilson, co-organizer for the events and social worker for WVU Medicine’s Community Outreach Team, adds that Save A Life Day is not only important to the participants, but also to volunteers, many of whom have seen or experienced overdoses personally. 

“Our volunteers know the value of giving someone another chance at life, and they want to give back, empower the community, and help us spread the message that no one has to die from substance use disorder,” Wilson said.  

Across Appalachia, organizers plan to distribute over 30,000 naloxone doses, 15,000 fentanyl test strips, 1,000 HIV tests, and nearly 30,000 anti-stigma stickers and pins throughout the day. Each location is powered by local volunteers who attended training to be able to participate. There are more than one hundred volunteers for this year’s events in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties. 

People who use drugs, their family members and friends, community members and anyone who wants to be prepared to save a life are welcome to get trained. The training takes just 5-10 minutes and participants can show up anytime from 10 am to 4 pm, with some sites staying open until 7 pm.  

Save a Life Day partnered with WVU Medicine, Eastridge Health Systems, Berkeley County Recovery Resource Center, Mountaineer Recovery Center, Morgan County Partnership, Shepherd University, and The Martinsburg Initiative to serve as site leaders for this year’s events in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties. 

Major sponsors of the event include AIDS Healthcare Foundation, CAMC Foundation, Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, Pallottine Foundation of Huntington, and the WV Drug Intervention Institute.  

For more information, visit www.savealifeappalachia.org. 

--WVU MEDICINE— 

For media inquiries: 

Chelsie Davis, Marketing Strategist, 304-596-6327, 

[email protected] 

 

23 – Aug 

CED:  8-31-22