Emerging from addiction: Stacy's story

Stacy* first came to us with the hope of being set free from addiction.

Stacy's crippling addiction had taken over her life, and she had lost her children, her home, and her self-worth because of it. Her HIV viral load was so high that she was barely surviving.

At The Damien Center, her hope of being set free became a reality.

Once Stacy was re-enrolled in medical care, she also started receiving support for her addiction through a community partner agency. The funds that were used to send her there saved Stacy's life. Stacy was in the treatment center for over three months and began taking classes almost 40 hours a week to learn about herself, her addiction, and what tools she needed to emerge from this dark and lonely place.

The person Stacy is today is the person she had hoped to find when she came to us.

Since engaging in treatment to manage her addiction and take back control of her health, Stacy has grown in incredible ways. She now works full time at a local restaurant and plans to attend training to become a manager. She's back in school studying business and plans to graduate next year. She's been in stable, long-term housing with support from The Damien Center's Housing Assistance Program since she completed treatment for her addiction. And the best part of the story? Stacy has now been reunited with all of her children, and two of them are living with her.

Stacy's is a story of redemption, of hope, and of how it truly is possible to change one's life with a little help along the way.

When you join The Damien Center on our quest to help thousands of individuals who are HIV+ achieve greater health - whether through reading this blog, educating yourself about HIV, volunteering your time, or making a financial contribution - you make more stories like Stacy's possible. Each of our programs helps clients like Stacy in unique ways, whether it's managing addiction, getting into medical care, finding stable housing, accessing nutritional support, or navigating insurance.

Your support allows us to respond immediately to increases in demand for our services and new developments in care. Learn more about how to get involved, or make a financial gift today.

*Client's name has been changed to protect her privacy.