On the eve of Mother’s Day, moms who have lost loved ones to overdose urged lawmakers to prioritize health-based solutions that prevent overdoses and to halt the wave of harsh drug laws that they say will not reduce overdose deaths but will instead fill our prisons without helping those struggling with substance use disorder. The May 7th press conference featured moms from across the United States who have lost loved ones to overdose.

During the moving press conference, bereaved mothers shared their stories and advocated for proven investments in health alternatives that can save lives.

“I have spent the last 13 Mother’s Days missing a piece of my heart. My 16-year-old son, Joshua, died of a heroin overdose on April 29th, 2012. I believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support, not punish, people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,” said Tamara Olt, M.D., Executive Director of Broken No More.

Broken No More would like to thank our panelists who participated in the press conference:

• Tamara Olt, MD., Executive Director of Broken No More. Tamara lost her 16-year-old son Josh. (Illinois)
• Anita Garrett, a Milwaukee advocate, lost her 31-year-old son, Sammie. (Wisconsin)
• Kimberly Douglas, who lost her 17-year-old son, Bryce. She is the Founder of Black Moms Against Overdose, a support group for moms who have lost children to overdose. (Maryland)
• Sarah Couper, PMHPN-BC, lost her 19-year-old son, Maxwell. (Florida)
• Cara Wykowski lost her 31-year-old son, Eric. (California)