MaryMac is a grief and bereavement specialist, host of The Mary Mac Show podcast, award-winning author, speaker, executive grief coach, consultant and founder of The Foundation For Grieving Children, Inc., the first national public charity of its kind which raises funds to assist, counsel, comfort and educate children, teens, young adults and their families after a loved one's death.
In Episode 207, we revisit our exceptional episode featuring premiere homeopath, Dr. Dana Ullman, as we highlight the effectiveness of remedies to help those grieving and in pain.
In an effort to replace allopathic (prescription medications) with non-addictive remedies, I recommend you take the time to learn about homeopathy and find a homeopath with the designation “CCH” (classically certified homeopath) who is either near you or welcomes online patients.
It is an exceptional way to treat yourself and your family members for both emotional and physical pain.
In Episode 206, I speak with Ed Bisch of Relatives Against Purdue Pharma (RAPP) facebook page about his son Eddie’s death at age 18 in 2001 from one OxyContin pill.
Just a few months shy of his high school graduation, Eddie didn’t realize the danger in one such pill. And Ed, his father, was in shock that something like this could be happening.
Eddie Bisch as Toddler
In an effort to help other families in the community, he joined with law enforcement and had a press conference about what had happened to his family and learned there were many other families experiencing the same grief.
Eddie Bisch Forever 18 killed by OxyContin
On one faxed page (this was back in 2001), Ed sent an alert to schools in Philadelphia warning them to the dangers of this new drug which was killing too many students. Oxy, as it was called, was becoming a scourge among young people.
Eddie enjoying his big catch!
As time went on, Ed learned that big pharma, particularly Purdue Pharma based in Stamford, Connecticut, was behind this, pushing oxy pills through their salespeople causing ‘pill mills’ in Virginia and West Virginia, even Maine.
Eddie, his sister Christi and his father, Ed Bisch at his sister’s wedding just 3 months before his death
Some doctors and pharmacies were responsible for millions of doses of oxy in very small communities and ruining the lives of countless families.
What was prescribed for back pain or after surgery so incredibly hooked its users, that the addiction was so severe most people could not continue without it after doctors cut them off from the drug.
So much has been written about this, even movies made about it and still Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler Family, still skates away without any justice.
Standing Up to Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family
Billions have been spent by them for lawyers to keep them out of jail and former judges that heard cases have later been hired by Sackler law firms for hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries.
Ed Bisch speaking at Lost Voices of Fentanyl DC Rally 2023
Watch my conversation with Ed below:
Ed recommends the following sites, documentaries and books to learn the history of this, which has taken him on a 22-year journey.
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Thank you Ed for sharing your time and extensive knowledge with us. We appreciate you!
In Episode 205, I speak with Andrea Thomas, of Facing Fentanyl Now and Voices of Awareness, about her daughter Ashley’s death at 32 to fentanyl poisoning.
Ashley is Andrea’s first born and when she was killed by fentanyl back in 2018 the world was not as educated about this scourge as they are now as a result of her activism and that of many other parents who endure this sorrow.
In an effort to deal with excruciating pain she suffered from pancreatitis, she searched for relief.
Her boyfriend, who unknowingly gave Ashley the fatal pill laced with fentanyl that killed her, took his life the next day after realizing what had happened. Now two families were devastating by one half of one pill.
She is survived by wonderful family members especially her own son Daniel who was 8 when she died and whom Andrea and her husband had raised and continue to raise today.
At the end of the funeral services for Ashley, she and her friends sat at a table and started to plot out how they could make a difference and alert her community to this deadly poison.
As the years passed, more people became involved and her organizations Facing Fentanyl Now and Voices of Awareness were born.
Later it occurred to her that there should be a day to bring awareness to this lethal drug. And now, each August 21st is considered National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day across the United States.
On August 21, 2023, fellow surviving family members converged on Times Square in New York City to light up the electronic billboards with the faces of their children. In an effort to bring awareness, education and consolation to those affected by this poison, this day received millions of hits on social media and plans are already in the works for future events on that day around the country.
Let’s Be Friends:
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author, death, dying, grief, grief education, grief education podcast, grief podcast, grief podcaster, grieving journals, journals as gifts, journals as presents, journals for women, journals for writing, loss, Mary M. McCambridge, Mary Mac, mary mac journals, my gratitude journal, my grief journal, my journal, my remembrance journal, podcast for grief, podcaster, podcast for grief education, podcast for grievers, the mary mac journal collection, the mary mac show, writing
Thank you Andrea for spending time with me and sharing your story.
In Episode 204, I speak with Paula Santos Young, of Achieve Greatness, about her son Andrew’s death at 33 to fentanyl poisoning.
Andrew Santos Forever 33
She shares how Andrew secretly struggled with PTSD and depression as well as an aversion to taking pills of any kind. He died of fentanyl poisoning which was laced in marijuana.
Paula with son Andrew
She and her husband Phil now runs Achieve Greatness, a program Andrew started and is now a non-profit in memory of Andrew with the goal of continuing to help others.
He is also survived by two brothers and two stepbrothers.
Facebook – Ask Mary Mac
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymccambridge/
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Twitter – @askmarymac
author, death, dying, grief, grief education, grief education podcast, grief podcast, grief podcaster, grieving journals, journals as gifts, journals as presents, journals for women, journals for writing, loss, Mary M. McCambridge, Mary Mac, mary mac journals, my gratitude journal, my grief journal, my journal, my remembrance journal, podcast for grief, podcaster, podcast for grief education, podcast for grievers, the mary mac journal collection, the mary mac show, writing
Thank you so much Paula for sharing your story and your time.
In Episode 203, I speak with Terry Almanza, Founder, Director and CEO of Drug-Induced Homicide Foundation, about her daughter Sydney’s death at age 18 to ecstasy poisoning.
Terry is a former Chicago Police Officer having served 28 years on the job and now is committed to helping others through her organization who have had children die of poisonings.
She believes drug dealers are getting away with murder and encourages others to push for better laws and justice in their communities.
Terry Almanza, Drug Induced Homicide Foundation
The Drug-Induced Homicide Foundation is helping families and making their voices heard so we can decrease this scourge on our children and society, which is leaving hundreds of thousands of parents and families to grieve their deaths. You can also join their facebook group here.
Watch my interview with Terry here:
Please like, comment and share this episode with others who could benefit from it and subscribe for future episode of this series.
Facebook – Ask Mary Mac
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymccambridge/
Instagram – @themarymacshowpodcast
Twitter – @askmarymac
author, death, dying, grief, grief education, grief education podcast, grief podcast, grief podcaster, grieving journals, journals as gifts, journals as presents, journals for women, journals for writing, loss, Mary M. McCambridge, Mary Mac, mary mac journals, my gratitude journal, my grief journal, my journal, my remembrance journal, podcast for grief, podcaster, podcast for grief education, podcast for grievers, the mary mac journal collection, the mary mac show, writing
Thank you so much Terry for sharing your story and your time.
We are grateful!
xoxo
Assisting Those Grieving a Loved One's Death
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