Joanie Sigal
Joanie Sigal
Alexis Pleus Turning a Mother's Heartbreak into Action
Alexis Pleus Turning a Mother's Heartbreak into Action
Alexis Pleus Turning a Mother's Heartbreak into Action
Thursday 25th September 2025
Alexis Pleus transforms personal tragedy into advocacy, sharing her journey from loss to founding Truth Pharm and the National Trail of Truth.
26 minutes
Inspiring
Honest
Informative
Hopeful
Compassionate
About this podcast
Author:
Joanie Sigal
Overview:
Categories:
Family Recovery from Addiction
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Sobriety Success Stories
Creative Recovery Journeys
Nutritional Pathways to Recovery
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
435 (View all)
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!Turning Grief into Advocacy: Alexis Pleus's Mission
Episode Overview
- Alexis Pleus turned her son's tragic overdose into a mission for change.
- She founded Truth Pharm to combat addiction stigma and misinformation.
- The National Trail of Truth memorial highlights the impact of overdoses.
- Advocates for immediate access to addiction treatment.
- Calls for ending medical discrimination and transparent opioid fund spending.
"I don't want to create an organisation that's running around picking up the pieces. I want to get at the root cause of the problem."
How do individuals turn their personal tragedies into powerful movements for change? In this episode, Alexis Pleus shares her heart-wrenching yet inspiring journey from loss to advocacy. After the devastating overdose of her son Jeff, Alexis realised the prevailing misconceptions about addiction that had failed her family. This realisation led her to establish Truth Pharm, an organisation aimed at combating misinformation and discrimination surrounding addiction.
Alexis's story is not just about personal grief; it's a testament to resilience and the power of community action. One of the highlights of Alexis's advocacy is the National Trail of Truth, a moving memorial on the National Mall, which seeks to bring attention to the real toll of overdose deaths and challenge the official statistics. She talks about how her personal experience with stigma and loss fueled her determination to ensure that others don't face the same challenges.
The episode also touches on the broader issues of addiction treatment accessibility, medical discrimination, and the importance of community support. The podcast provides a platform for Alexis and other advocates to share their stories and efforts, emphasising the need for a collective approach to address addiction. With a focus on unity and healing, this episode offers both heartache and hope, reminding us that change is possible when communities come together.
So, how can we all contribute to making a difference in the battle against addiction?