BEATING THE DRUG HABIT

Three-and a-half-years of heavy heroin and crack use, two overdoses
and three criminal convictions - all before Cheyenne was 18.

She can still remember her first heroin overdose at 17-years-old.

"I had to go to the hospital, they stuck tubes in me. I woke up to my
mom and dad standing over me in tears, wondering if I was going to
make it or not," says Cheyenne, who prefers to go under a pseudonym.

Although the doctors told her she may not survive another hit,
Cheyenne couldn't handle the withdrawal - also known as "dope
sickness" - and left in search of another high. She overdosed again
four months later.

There are many words to describe Cheyenne's story: tragic, horrific,
shocking. But, one word it is not is uncommon.

She is not alone.

The Coquitlam teen is clean and sober almost nine months and is still
getting her life back on track after it was derailed by drugs. Her
parents no longer lock their bedroom door at night for fear that
she'll steal from them - her addiction once drove her to steal $300
from her mom.

Cheyenne says she owes her recovery to the DEWY Program, a New
Westminster-based drug and alcohol program for youth aged 12 to 18.

DEWY - which stands for Day, Evening and Weekend for Youth - has been
working toward its motto, "reaching for higher ground." for three
years now and has helped approximately 100 youth recover from the
debilitating disease of addiction.

Tom Hetherington, manager of addictions services for Pacific Community
Resources, the 20-year-old non-profit agency that supports DEWY, says
youth alcohol and drug use is on the rise.

"Not only are we seeing increasing drug use, but we're seeing
increasing homelessness," Hetherington says.

He says youth addicted to drugs and alcohol work differently than
adults, and need a network of prevention services, early intervention
and harm reduction, treatment services and followup services - which
are currently lacking.

"The youth drug and alcohol continuum is not resourced enough," he
said, adding that DEWY was designed to meet that gap in services.

DEWY which is partnered with New Westminster Continuing Education and
funded by the Fraser Health Authority, provides 35 hours of core and
optional programming each week to youth who have finished detox and
are looking for support. The youth are referred from alcohol and drug
service providers.

Having the second program helps the DEWY workers take the window of
opportunity when youth are open to drug counselling.

"Every time I get a call from a youth, I never have to just say no. _
We can get the ball rolling," says Isaac Heyes, program supervisor.

The core addictions program works with eight youth for 10 to 12 weeks,
focusing on the counselling and group work.

There is also an optional program open to DEWY graduates, those in the
the core program and those waiting to start the core program. Staff
organize recreational events for the youth, such as movie nights and
cooking.

Sometimes, the food provided at DEWY is the youth's only real meal of
the day, Heyes says. A Lower Mainland company called Small Potatoes
Urban Delivery (SPUD) donates organic fruit and vegetables to DEWY
each week.

"It felt good knowing you could go to the program you're involved with
and have a good meal and feel supported," says Amy, who graduated from
the program a little over two years ago.

Amy, who would prefer to remain anonymous, works at DEWY now and
mentors the youth.

While other 16 and 17 year olds were looking forward to prom and
college, the New Westminster teen spent her time battling her
addiction to cocaine and crystal meth.

"Now, I go to college. I work. I basically just got my life back on
track," says the 19-year-old. "I have so much that I've accomplished
in the last little while that I don't think I would have been able to
without these programs."

But, she says, addiction hovers, even after one is
clean.

"You can't run away from it. It's always going to be in your face,"
she says.

Cheyenne says DEWY has given her her life back and if it weren't for
the program, she would either be dead or still using.

The program has helped her learn to love herself and other people and
has taught her perhaps the most important lesson of all:

"There's always a gift in recovery."

For more information on DEWY, contact Heyes at 604-517-5916.