Crystal Meth, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Speaker

Motivating earlier substance abuse and addiction, prevention and treatment.

Presentations for a Diversified Audience

Kerry Jackson Shares her Motivational Story of Personal Loss – for Earlier Prevention and Earlier Intervention

Since November 2004, when Kerry volunteered to be interviewed for the film "Death by Jib", she has been publicly sharing the loss of her only child, Ryan, to crystal meth (including previous ‘recreational’ drugs and alcohol) drug-induced mental illness, and related suicide. More importantly, she shares the hard-won lessons she has learned too late, in the hope that others will be spared the indescribable grief of similar losses.

20/20 Hindsights for Parents, Caregivers, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Educators, Healthcare workers ...

It’s very sad that we don’t know, what we don’t know, until we do know, and then we wish we’d known sooner. Kerry now understands why drug and alcohol education was ineffective for Ryan… how, years earlier, she really needed education and support herself in understanding and attending to the visible and invisible vulnerabilities that could one day interfere with Ryan’s ability to act according to drug education.

Attendees will:

"I admire your courage and determination to help other families in preventing their children from facing the terrible challenges that your dear son Ryan was faced with. I appreciate your dedication to this important cause. You are truly a blessing to our community..."

– Judy Forster, Mayor of White Rock, B.C. - Meth Forum

You presented the story of Ryan's life in a way that the students could relate to...Our students are now more aware of the potential implications of early trauma...as well as the potential for drug induced mental illness for those with a genetic predisposition. Your presentation went straight to the hearts of all the students and staff fortunate enough to hear you speak today. Thank you...

– Brent Steele, Counsellor, Fraser Heights Secondary School, North Surrey, B.C.

"Kerry's honesty and reflection… made us all keenly aware of our vulnerability, regardless of how much we… think we are doing the right thing. A personal story takes it from theory to reality."
– Susan Nash, Chair of The Mulgrave Public Programs Committee, (W. Vancouver, B.C.)

Gain greater clarity and understanding of how a child can grow up to be susceptible to abusing drugs and alcohol
Receive crucial information on earlier prevention and intervention strategies, throughout childhood
Be encouraged to: rise above blame and shame; develop a helpful network of support; become regular self-educators; strengthen their families; advocate for the changes our children and communities so badly need
Receive valuable suggestions for tools and local resources
Go home stronger, better equipped, grateful for information that, acted upon, could save their future and their community from similar unnecessary tragedy

Inspiring Youths to Abstain through Ryan's Story

By sharing Ryan's downhill slide, suicide demise, how it impacted his mom, some of the childhood events that likely contributed to his choice to use drugs, Kerry addresses the following challenges in getting through to youths:

Youths will:

Be shown how this can happen to them (even if physically strong). They usually haven't recognized when and how peers have been drawn away from them through deception by the drug culture as Ryan's story will illustrate.
Gain a greater understanding of why they might be drawn to drugs and alcohol, thus valuable insight into their own need for counseling and/or medical treatment. (Reducing the shame of asking for help.)
Hear what Ryan would say to them if he could be here: how he didn’t talk enough about his confusion, stress, fears with a trusted adult; how hard it is to recover when drugs, especially meth, make you mentally weaker and weaker and out of touch with reality; how no one can help you even when you can’t see that you need help (laws), how he trusted the wrong people who used him for their own twisted purposes. (Counteracting the 'positive' messages they've received about drugs.)
Through witnessing Kerry's pain, be inspired to make the decision to avoid hurting their own parents, and themselves. See Dale's letter. (Due to their current developmental phase they are naturally egocentric.)