Kate Middleton on Tuesday.Photo: Beretta/Sims/Shutterstock
Kate Middletonis lending her voice to an important cause.
The launch of the long-term campaign — which will work to improve awareness and understanding of addiction, its causes and scale in society to enable more people to ask for and receive help — coincides with Addiction Awareness Week (October 18–24).
Kate Middleton arriving on Tuesday.
Launching the Taking Action on Addiction Campaign she thanked those who shared their experiences of addiction with her as she met with beneficiaries of the charity as well as supporters with experience of addiction.
“Addiction is not a choice,” said Kate. “No one chooses to become an addict. But it can happen to any one of us. None of us are immune. It is all too rarely discussed as a serious mental health condition and seldom do we take the time to uncover and fully understand its fundamental root causes.”
“We know that over one and a half million people across the U.K. who did not have substance misuse prior to lockdown may now be experiencing problems associated with increased alcohol consumption,” she said.
“Around 2 million individuals who were identified as being in recovery, may have experienced a relapse over the past 18 months.”
Kate wasannounced as patron of The Forward Trustin June, one month after the organization merged withAction on Addiction.
On Tuesday, she spoke of the hope that she holds despite the figures. “I have had the privilege of meeting many incredible people who have lived through the harsh realities of addiction,” she said in her speech. “Through their own hard work, and with the help from communities and charities, such as The Forward Trust, lives really are being turned around.
Kate Middleton arriving on Tuesday.Samir Hussein/WireImage
In the keynote speech, she added, “I fully support The ‘Taking Action on Addiction’ campaign to improve awareness and understanding of addiction. The campaign will show us that, not only do many people recover from addiction, they can go on to prosper.”
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It was during a speech at a gala dinner forAction on Addictionthat Kateoutlined some of what she had discoveredas she became more and more immersed in the efforts to help young children. “Sadly, for many who are suffering with addiction, they just don’t receive the help they need early enough. They have already reached crisis point before they find the support they need,” she said at the event two years ago.
source: people.com
