A lasting friendship that formed between two mothers mourning the needless deaths of their sons has now led to a groundbreaking partnership between two non-profit organizations fighting the opioid epidemic—Hope Movement Coalition and CWC Alliance.

Turning Pain into Purpose

When Staci James and Cammie Wolf Rice met at the inaugural DEA Family Summit on the Opioid Crisis in Washington, D.C., in 2022, they instantly bonded over their common grief. Cammie’s son, Christopher, passed in 2017 after a fourteen-year battle with opioid dependency that began with prescription medications following surgery. Staci’s son, Hagen, died in 2019 from fentanyl poisoning after a long mental health struggle that stemmed from abuse in daycare at age two. After their sons’ deaths, both mothers had turned their pain into purpose. Staci co-founded Hope Movement Coalition, with a mission of providing support to Arkansas families affected by substance use disorder and fentanyl poisoning. Cammie created the Christopher Wolf Crusade (CWC Alliance), whose goal is to help end opioid misuse before it begins.

As they met and talked during the 2022 Summit, Staci and Cammie shared their missions, inspired each other, and decided to work together to abate the epidemic. One of their goals was to expand a pioneering initiative CWC Alliance had launched to introduce a new healthcare position, Life Care Specialists, into rural Georgia hospitals. These specialists become “personal coaches” to help patients avoid substance misuse and addiction by educating them about pain management without using drugs. They help them create alternative pain management plans, and teach them mental health wellness skills, relaxation techniques and more.

Introducing Life Care Specialists

Seeing the program’s success, Cammie and Staci developed a five-year plan to bring Life Care Specialists to Arkansas. They managed to roll out the program in two years instead of five, beginning this year at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison and Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden. Two Life Care Specialists now serve each of those hospitals.

Strengthening the Partnership

This year, CWC Alliance also became the premiere sponsor of Hope Movement Coalition’s 2024 Bridge the Gap event, and Cammie became Chairman of the HMC executive board. With the two organizations now working in partnership, Staci and Cammie envision expanding their efforts even further and making a greater impact in their fight against the opioid epidemic.

It all started with two grieving moms who became friends and now partners on a mission—a mission in honor of their sons, Christopher and Hagen.