IslandVibesIOP.com 9 As we observe National Recovery Month in September, we reflect on the story of the Shipman family and how they turned a personal tragedy into a way to support healing and recovery in people in our community struggling with substance abuse disorders. William Creighton Shipman was the first of many things. The first baby born in Mount Pleasant in 1997, the first child born to Lee and Nanci Shipman, the first grandchild for both sets of grandparents. Nanci beamed with warmth as she described her first memories of Creighton: “He was the easiest, happiest, most loving baby, with these bright, twinkly blue eyes. His smile and his humor could light up a room. Creighton’s heart was bigger than most; he cared deeply and loved deeply, and you felt it.” Creighton is the oldest of the five Shipman children, big brother to Wheaton, Jack, Hollice and Hampton. Nanci continued, “The loves of his life – Swedish Fish, our ‘secret spot’ on Sullivan’s, Noni and Poppi, his friends, playing and watching lacrosse, good music for his Spotify playlists, being one of ‘the cousins,’ reading and learning, Taco Bell, the last word, Georgia football, his family, little Sophie and making people laugh – especially at the most inappropriate times. What he loved and treasured most was being a big brother.” An avid outdoorsmen, Creighton spent most of his time at the beach, in the marsh, camping, fly fishing and riding his bicycle and skateboard. He loved reading and learning and teaching others about his discoveries. Nanci recounted, “He was happiest playing lacrosse with his brothers and sister, laughing and he was always surrounded by friends.” Creighton was injured in a lacrosse tournament in late 2011. That injury was followed by a misdiagnosis and an eventual surgery, before ultimately this unfortunate series of events led to opioid use disorder. Nanci explained, “Creighton was determined to play lacrosse and run again sooner than the nine months he was told it would take. Three months after surgery he was finally able to put weight on his foot. By May, he was back on his two feet, running and playing the sport he loved. I would later learn, in the summer of 2016 while Creighton was at his first and only inpatient treatment, that the pain medication he had been prescribed after surgery had ‘turned a light’ on that he never forgot. There wasn’t one specific defining moment, but Creighton shared that it was a ‘perfect storm’ during his freshman year of college. Within six weeks of finishing his freshman year, he was driving himself to treatment with me beside him in the passenger seat. His phone was on speaker with his friends calling to support his willingness and his steps to go to treatment. Substance use disorder doesn’t happen to one person – it happens to everyone who loves them.” On July 17, 2016, with Creighton on life support after an overdose, his mother and siblings stood around his hospital bed when his sister Wheaton looked at her anguished family and made the declaration, “We have to do something.” From there, Nanci and her children promised that Creighton’s life, and his fight to get his life and family back, would not end in vain. She elaborated, “The four of us stood around Creigh and promised that no one and no family would have to walk this walk alone, as we and Creigh did. Although we did not know what that promise would look like, we all knew we would do it together.” From there, WakeUp Carolina and Creighton’s House were born. “We shared our story, we prayed, we sat around our kitchen table with friends and community members and we listened and learned what were the gaps and barriers in our community,” shared Nanci. On Nov. 17, 2016, WakeUp Carolina became a nonprofit, 501(c)(3). “We committed to building an organization where programs and services would be at no cost, and it would take the entire community to make it possible – just as the community had stood by Creighton and our family. In June 2018, two years to the date of Creighton going to treatment, Creighton’s House (‘CH’) began with its first young adult, all-recovery meeting program, followed by South Carolina’s first Overdose Prevention & Narcan Training. Since we began in 2016, WakeUp Carolina has touched the lives of more than 5 million people through our programs, education and outreach – reaching well beyond our own Tri-County community.” She continued, “The impact of losing Creighton forever changed my view on addiction and substance use disorder. This disease does not discriminate – not by age, socioeconomics, zip code, color, sex, morals, values or education. No one should have to lose a loved one to substances to know that recovery is possible and recovery is real. I feel I have paid a price to have the privilege to serve and to do the work I’m called to do in our community. Creighton and God continue to light the way, one step at a time. The love we have for Creighton and the promise we made to him is the star we follow at WakeUp Carolina: no one and no family walks this walk alone. We hold space, and we offer resources, support and education – for preventing first use, misuse, substance use disorder and death. We would love for you to get involved and support this work in our community, whether through your time, your talent or treasure. Stigma is real, and the only way we reduce it is by educating ourselves, asking questions and supporting one another. Hope in recovery is real.” National Recovery Month is an opportune time for all of us to follow Nanci’s wonderful example of shining light into the darkness. The more we talk about issues like substance use disorder, the more light we shed on it, clearing a path to erasing stigmas and stereotypes, and making recovery attainable. Recovery is possible You don’t have to walk the path of substance use disorder alone By Laura Fogarty OPINION Nanci Steadman Shipman and Creighton Shipman Nanci Steadman Shipman For more information, visit wakeupcarolina.org.
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