Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Adult Mental Health (AMH) team, in collaboration with the Substance Use and Addictions’ Education and Training Working Group, launched a heartfelt holiday initiative to emphasize their commitment to reducing stigma around substance use and addictions.

Through this initiative, staff were encouraged to reflect and connect personally with the “Our Words and Actions Matter” campaign anti-stigma pledge, reaffirming their dedication to creating a supportive and respectful environment for all.

This holiday season, the AMH team decorated a tree in purple—a poignant symbol of the overdose crisis impacting Northwestern Ontario. The purple decorations also serve to honour those lost to substance use and addiction-related harms and acknowledge the grief experienced by their loved ones.

In a powerful show of support, over 60 individual commitments were added to the tree by December 12, 2024. These pledges reflect the team’s collective resolve to do better, moving forward with compassion, understanding, and respect for those seeking care.

This initiative is about growth, accountability, and the recognition that our words and actions truly matter.