Kamloops youth homeless non-profit ‘continues to mourn’ founder’s fentanyl overdose death

The Kamloops non-profit founded by Katherine McParland continues to follow her vision, and the founder's overdose death shows that its work is still needed.

Executive director of A Way Home Kamloops, Tangie Genshorek, hopes a better understanding of McParland's relapse will bring awareness to the need for accessible substance use services.

"One of the largest barriers to accessing support is the stigma associated with substance use," a news release from Genshorek reads.

McParland was found dead on Dec. 5, 2020 in a Kamloops home. B.C. Coroners Service found she died of an accidental overdose.

"Her passion to end youth homelessness touched countless people in Kamloops and across the province, and her drive to create change left many people inspired to help end youth homelessness," the release from Genshorek reads.

A Way Home Kamloops continues to follow McParland's vision of ending youth homelessness, where foster care is a major focus for the organization.

McParland, a longtime advocate for homeless youth, had a history of drug use, but had been clean for a "long period of time" prior to her relapse, according to the report.

She had been to a hospital for drug-related complications on Nov. 28, but was not followed by a doctor, had not been in a recovery program and was not taking any opioid agonist treatment to fight withdrawals.

A toxicology report to coroners revealed a lethal amount of fentanyl, which was also mixed with etizolam. The combination, which is commonly found in the black market drug supply, can cause respiratory depression.

McParland was one of 60 people to die due to overdose complications in Kamloops that year, which was the most on record until 2021 when 78 people died.

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