STURGIS, S.D. – Emily’s Hope is continuing its mission to save lives by expanding free naloxone access in western South Dakota.
Recently, access to the life-saving product came to Sturgis.
Angela Kennecke is the founder of Emily’s Hope – started in 2019 following the death of her daughter to a fentanyl overdose. She says these naloxone boxes are about putting life-saving tools directly into the hands of the people who need the most.
Here in Sturgis, Kennecke says naloxone is available at Monument Health, and her team visited during the Rally last week to make the announcement.
Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, rapidly reverses opioid overdoses and can restore normal breathing within minutes. Each Emily’s Hope naloxone box is stocked monthly with kits that include two doses of naloxone, gloves, and information on treatment and recovery services.
Kennecke says one of their goals is to end the stigma of having something like Naloxone at the ready in an emergency.
Since the start of the program, Emily’s Hope has distributed more than 15,000 naloxone doses across South Dakota through partnerships with hospitals, libraries, churches, and local governments.
Community members are encouraged to carry naloxone and learn how to use it. If you encounter a suspicious substance or an unresponsive person, do not touch anything and call 911 immediately.
The anonymous distribution program is a collaboration between Emily’s Hope, the South Dakota Department of Health, the Department of Social Services, the Attorney General’s Office, and local community partners.
To find a naloxone box near you or support Emily’s Hope’s overdose prevention efforts, visit: https://emilyshope.charity/find-narcan/