FDS Insight Magazine Jun - Sep 2023

6 International Family Drug Support Day 2023 amily Drug Support (FDS) hosted the 8 th International Family Drug Support Day (IFDSD) across many jurisdictions around Australia. IFDSD first started in 2016 and this year marked the 26 th Anniversary of the tragic passing of Tony’s son, Damien Trimingham who died at the age of 23 from a heroin overdose in 1997 and subsequently, the beginning of Tony’s journey to establish Family Drug Support. QLD – Gold Coast – 20 February he Gold Coast welcomed its second International Family Drug Support Day event this year on Monday, 20 February 2023, at the Southport Health Precinct Auditorium. There was a great show of support from community members, service providers across sectors and family members, with over 70 guests in attendance. Natasha Stapleton, FDS Family Support Worker, emceed the event and began the day by speaking to the theme of IFDSD 2023 ‘Support the Family, Improve the Outcome’ and ‘Harm Reduction Keeps Everyone Safe’. Anna Daglish, FDS Queensland Clinical Services Manager, spoke to the critical research and statistics that confirm harm reduction approaches, policies and practices are not only the most effective, but also kindest way forward, before introducing our CEO, Tony Trimingham OAM to the room, virtually, to speak to the importance of the day. Louise Delany, Carer Peer Worker at the Southport Health Precinct Alcohol and Other Drugs Service, read the speech of her Team Leader and the day’s first guest speaker, Tracy Churchill, regarding the vital role family members play in supporting the wellbeing of their loved ones using substances. Alana Boulton, FDS Family Support Worker, read on behalf of FDS volunteer, Lynda, who wrote a moving speech for the event with wisdom she has learnt from volunteering with FDS, as well as how much she has gained from her role. Toni Eachus, Deputy CEO of Goldbridge, and Alastair Gibson, Dual Diagnosis Clinician at QuIHN, shared the reality of the struggles people using substances and their families face, as well as providing practical strategies with the audience around harm reduction. Dan Nguyen, Metro South Addictions Services, provided valuable insight into how mainstream alcohol and other drug services do not support families, in particular individuals or families from refugee or migrant backgrounds, as the current models do not consider the families or communities that are crucial in collectivist cultures. This message was also reaffirmed by our family members who courageously shared on the day as they spoke honestly about their journey accessing services that F T