Sarah Desrosiers-Legault started using drugs and drinking alcohol at 14. After three years, she signed up for the rehabilitation program at Portage.
“It was kind of like I had to make a decision I was either going to go into the depths of this disease or I was going to get help and get better,” she said.
On Sunday, Desrosiers-Legault, along with 176 graduates of the Portage program, was recognized for her efforts during a ceremony at Place des Arts.
Portage is a non-profit organization that helps people that have issues with substance abuse get back on their feet. It runs five addiction rehabilitation programs in the Greater Montreal Area. In operation since 1973, approximately 1,000 people use their services every year.
“We all know life is not always easy. We [have] difficulties and it's [about] how we deal with that situation, so that's basically what we're teaching them while they're there with us,” said Seychelle Harding, Portage’s director of communications.
Desrosiers-Legault says the people at Portage worked miracles for her.
“Without Portage without this program I still would have been out there and god knows what i would have been doing. I’m just super grateful.”
Madeleine Morin, another graduate, is happy to have made it through the program.
“I’m feeling pretty proud. I never thought I would be here someday. It's really impressive,” she said.
As part of the services provided by Portage, the centre maintains contact with former residents for two full years. It’s their way of ensuring that every graduate is able to turn their dream of a brighter future, into a reality.
