In this episode of the Ordinary Courage Podcast I am solo! 'My Beautiful Boy' is about my youngest son, his struggle with addiction and mental health over the past couple of years and it's about digging deeper as a mother, the courage to stay in the fight and to take each day as it comes.
 
(I recorded this episode outside the studio so there are a couple glitches hehe & the sound quality is not our usual top notch, hopefully be back in the studio soon)

I also threw in a plug for Terminator Foundation, the Not for Profit Organization that I founded 7 years ago. Terminator works with youth and young adults who are struggling with addiction and mental health issues. We use the sport of Triathlon to revolutionize their lives and support their journey to recover!
The Truth is You Can Recover!
https://terminatorfoundation.com/

Follow Terminator:
https://www.instagram.com/terminatorfoundation/?hl=en

In this episode of the Ordinary Courage Podcast I have the absolute honor of hearing Maddison's story, told through her Mama, Jennifer Ann Holleman. This is a story about loss, Human Trafficking and a mothers fight for justice, for inner healing and to tell the story of Maddison to anyone who will listen. 
This episode is brutally painful and hard to hear. But we need to hear these stories because this atrocity is far from over. 

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." 

I'm here to tell you- THIS. MATTERS. 

From Jennifer:
In 2015, my world changed forever. Maddison was killed in a horrific car accident in Edmonton, Alberta. The man driving was intoxicated, the man driving was a “John”. Although Maddison was killed by a drunk driver, I see the ultimate cause of her death to be Human Trafficking. 

Since her death, there have been two year long investigations. No justice has ever been served for what happened to my daughter. I have taken it upon myself to become an advocate for Human Trafficking. In my Community, my Province, my Country. I have spoke at many conferences, to schools and at AGM’s for various organizations, as well as to the Standing Committee for Justice and Human Rights. I have just recently spoken to Paul Brandt and the Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force and am looking forward to working with them in the near future. In the Fall of 2020, I was nominated for the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, initiated in South Korea. To even be considered for this award was incredibly humbling. 

Losing Maddison has been the most difficult time in my life. It was a big decision to make the choice to tell her story, as it keeps this loss so fresh.  I have always maintained that if sharing what happened to her, helps just one young women, then her death was not in vain. And I can say without a doubt, that so many more have been touched. 

I will continue on this journey as long as long as Human Trafficking is a crises in this Country and for as long as I am physically able.  Education and awareness are the key factors in keeping our youth safe. What happened to Maddison, should never happen to any young woman. Ever.

Follow Jennifer:
https://www.instagram.com/jennielou42/

1-833-900-1010
For immediate assistance, call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010. You can reach the confidential Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in more than 200 languages.
https://www.canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca/nationalhotline/

In this episode with guest, Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addiction Jason Luan we discuss some of the historic changes that the Government of Alberta has made to the addiction/mental health landscape in the past several months here in the Province of Alberta.
Minister Luan also shares some of his personal journey coming to Canada, his early career in Social Work and the life choices that brought him to where he is today, which he calls "A window of opportunity"!

Link to Learn more about Alberta's Government and the Transformational Changes being made in Alberta:
https://www.alberta.ca/associate-minister-of-mental-health-and-addictions.aspx

Bio:
Minister Luan was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Calgary-Foothills on April 16, 2019. He previously served as an MLA for Calgary-Hawkwood (2012-2015).

Married to his wife, Ms. Fengying Zhang for 34 years, Luan has two daughters. Graduating from the University of Calgary with a Masters of Social Work in 1990, he has dedicated his career to public service, promoting healthy families, strong communities and economic prosperity. He served in a variety of roles in provincial and municipal governments including as a child protection worker, a social planner, a manager and as a senior counsellor.

Luan has also managed funding for nonprofit social service agencies for over 20 years. He co-chaired the Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary (2006-2012) and served on the Calgary Council on Mental Health and Addictions from 2017 to 2018. He is proud to have made a difference in many lives throughout his professional services and community volunteering, and received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for community services.

Jason Luan was appointed as the Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions on April 30, 2019. His extensive experience in working with those suffering from addiction makes him uniquely positioned to handle the key commitment to address the opioid epidemic in Alberta.