A Lethbridge resident took a heartbreaking circumstance and transitioned it into something positive.

With the help of the community, Kelsey Many-Fingers Healy created a memorial march to honor the lives and mourn the deaths of those who have overdosed.

This followed an increase of opioid related deaths of approximately 50 people. There was an additional 30 people in the nearby Blood Reserve.

“A lot of people in the community have lost relatives or friends to drug overdose,” said Many-Fingers Healy.

The man worked with community member, Abby Morning Bull to bring Lethbridge together and spread awareness about drugs and addictions.

“We’re not telling people to stop doing drugs completely,” said Many-Fingers Healy. “We’re telling them there are resources available that can help them.”

The surge in overdoses coincided with the opening of the first safe consumption site in Lethbridge. This generated some backlash towards the initiative during its opening stages.

Alberta United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney said he didn’t agree with the safe consumption site as it does not address a solution to the problem, just a band aid to the symptom.

He was among other Albertans who have similar concerns over the new site, with people complaining on public forums about what causes their taxes are going towards.

Morning Bull says she understands people’s concerns but thinks it’s more important to make sure people with addictions are at less of a risk to themselves.

“You hear people trying to quit smoking and they say ‘oh my god, this is so hard.’ Now, image how people addicted opioids react,” she said.

Many-Fingers Healy agreed, adding that they want to prevent the possibility of overdose completely.

“People have been dying like crazy the last little while and if they are seeking help, we want them to know that there are resources there for them.”

Morning Bull is a huge advocate for harm reduction and says the safe consumption site is a necessary step for those who want to come out of their addiction.

With the site opened for just over a week, already Downtown Lethbridge is reporting an improvement in drug related activities. Other areas that have faced a decrease in negative activity is the library and the post office.

Many-Fingers Healy says he hopes the safe consumption site marks the end of discrimination against drug users.

Another safe consumption site was opened on Friday in the Kainai region.