Raychel has written a poem in memory of her former partner Kevin, who died of a heroin overdose in 2017. Read her story here.

Dear Kevin,

It’s coming up to your birthday
and nearly 365 days since you went away
So much has happened and so much has changed
But I still think about you every single day.

Sometimes my memories make me smile,
Sometimes they make me cry,
Sometimes I’m stuck in a state of shock
And question why you had to die.

Some days I pack away your things
As if grieving has a time limit
Until I’m reminded that without your memory
Life starts to feel empty without you in it.

Some days I’m angry at our government
That they still see addiction as a crime,
It’s only through campaigning for a drug policy reform
That I am able to transform my grief
And pray that it is only a matter of time.

A matter of time that policy makers wake up to the truth
That our current policies have failed
I am not looking to persecute
And I am not looking for anyone to blame
I just do not want another partner, sister, mother, brother, father or friend
To ever have to go through this same unbearable pain.

I will not try to erase the sadness
Neither will I try to erase the pain
I’ve accepted that I had to lose you
To become who I am today
I promise you my dear love,
Your passing will not be in vein.
And as long as your memory is in my heart
I will not give up campaigning for change.

In loving memory of Kevin Bradley Lane

December 11th 1985 – December 13th 2017