Mother of Chicago Bulls’ Dwyane Wade to drive home deadly dangers of using heroin during Wilmington forum scheduled for March 2

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February 22

Pastor Jolinda Wade, the mother of Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls, will visit Wilmington next week to discuss her past struggles with drug addiction during a forum focusing on the heroin epidemic that is exploding across the nation.

The public is invited to attend this important forum scheduled from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 2 at Wilmington Middle School, 715 S. Joliet Street. The event is sponsored by the Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community, and the offices of Will County Executive Larry Walsh and Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.

Pastor Wade, who preaches on Chicago’s South Side, will discuss her past addictions to heroin and cocaine and her hard road to recovery. Her presentation will be an inspiration to those who struggle with heroin addiction or those whose loved ones use this dangerous and highly addictive drug.

Other featured speakers will include County Executive Walsh and State’s Attorney Glasgow, who have partnered on efforts to end the heroin epidemic through the work of a county grassroots organization called HELPS (Heroin Education Leads to Preventative Solutions).

County Executive Walsh will discuss the formation of HELPS, the county’s partnership to develop educational programs on heroin with the Robert Crown Center, and a new SAMSHA grant through the state of Illinois to reduce opiate overdose deaths. State’s Attorney Glasgow will discuss the heroin crisis and how the Will County Drug Court is helping defendants kick their addictions. A Drug Court graduate also will discuss her struggles with addiction and recovery.

Other speakers include Will County Judge Ray Nash, local law enforcement officials and physicians from Riverside Healthcare who will discuss the dangerous link between the abuse of prescription pain medications and heroin use.

Seventy-six people from all walks of life died as the result of a heroin overdose in 2016 in Will County. Public officials from across the county are working together to address this growing epidemic.

For more information on the forum, call (815) 476-1660 or email the Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community at wchc@wilmington-coalition.org. You can also visit the Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community on Facebook for details.