Suicide, addiction and marginalization are all difficult topics to discuss, but thanks to the passion of a Penticton Indian Band resident, they are just some of what was covered at the two-day Youth Wellness Gathering hosted at the En’owkin Centre.

Aimee Lezard is no stranger to those topics, after going through the loss of her son, Aubrey, who died by suicide in July 2017 and then losing her nephew, Aaron Lezard, to a fentanyl overdose in June 2018. She said she knows she’s not alone in facing these issues and the grief that comes with them, which is why she wanted to offer this event for youth in the community, which focused on self-care, culture and crafts, as well as utilizing supports.

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Lezard said her higher calling is language, teaching nsyilxcen (Okanagan) language studies with the En’owkin Centre, and she knew she was on the road to recovering from her loss when she was able to finally write down her experiences. She said a big part of her recovery, and what helped inspire her to host the gathering, was the work she did when she attended a five-week program at a trauma treatment centre on Vancouver Island.

Now, armed with the knowledge to recognize subtle signs that someone may be in distress, Lezard can recall that the day before her son died, she had felt something was off but couldn’t quite explain it. She added that two weeks before Aubrey died, she noticed he was speaking differently but when she pressed him on it, he would brush it off.

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Lezard began putting the Youth Wellness Gathering together, using her knowledge from the treatment centre, under her non-profit organization N2S, which is dedicated to Aaron and Aubrey Lezard, and all the other “children of the night” that are marginalized or who have died due to suicide or overdose. Once other youth started to get involved in the planning of the event, they also decided to add talks surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and LGBTQ+, since these topics also deal with marginalization and it can be hard for youth to openly discuss them.

“Even if I help just one youth in these two days, that’s a lot. When I think about my goal, I call them children of the night like if you shone a flashlight at the ground, there’s a spotlight in the middle and then it gets less bright as it moves away from the centre,” said Lezard. “So most children are in the light because they have a really good support system and really good chances of success. Then there are the children of the night or in the dark, because they don’t have that. So if I can get those kids here too, that’s my goal.”

It would appear Lezard’s efforts were not in vain, with over 40 youth attending both days of the event. Tai Flett, an 11-year-old from Oliver, said when she saw the poster for the gathering in her community, she really wanted to attend.

“I’m open-minded to learning something new,” said Flett, who was one of the youngest children at the event. “A couple of years ago, I wanted to learn how to use a naloxone kit because in my past I’ve seen some people doing drugs. So I wanted to get a kit to help people with overdoses, I just thought it would be a good thing to do.”

Flett said she learned a lot during the workshops, like that you shouldn’t judge or shame those who use drugs because “it’s hard for them to quit because they are addictive.” She said she also learned about recognizing the signs of depression or suicidal thoughts and how to help people she thinks are in distress.

Lezard has committed to hosting this Youth Wellness Gathering for the next five years, with the opportunity for it to grow and change each year as they add more activities and workshops. Flett said she plans on attending as long as it’s offered, and thinks she’ll try to bring some friends next time.

Those experiencing suicidal thoughts or feel that they are in crisis are asked to contact the 24-hour Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC at 604-872-3311. More information and supports can also be found at www.crisiscentre.bc.ca.

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