July 13, 2017
When Temple University junior Nora Wilson first got the idea of holding an on-campus seminar on administering Narcan, she thought maybe 10 or 15 people would attend.
As of Thursday morning, the Facebook event for the upcoming session has 60 people attending and more than 300 others interested.
"There is a lot more interest than I was expecting for sure," Wilson said in a Facebook message.
Wilson, 19, of Collingswood, learned how to give overdose victims Narcan, the common brand name for the opioid antidote naloxone, by completing an online program, doing her own research and talking to others who have had it used on them.
She wants to teach other students where to buy Narcan and the steps taken to administer it, such as how to recognize an overdose, how to inject the nasal spray and what to do if the person doesn't respond after receiving the reversal drug.
The first of hopefully several sessions is scheduled for Aug. 18 and is intended for other Temple students, but Wilson said anyone who wants to come is welcome.
In Philadelphia last year, there were 907 overdose deaths, 80 percent of which were opioid-related.
"Obviously the opioid problem in Philadelphia has been growing out of control, and I just want people to know how to use Narcan because if you live in this city, opioids affect you," Wilson said.
As the opioid crisis persists in Philly and across the country, law enforcement agencies are increasingly being equipped with Narcan, while some schools and pharmacies now carry the antidote as well.
Narcan has been credited with saving more than 2,000 lives in Pennsylvania alone.
"I have seen too many people lose friends and family members and I just think it is such a simple thing to learn that can save someone's life," Wilson said.
The details of the first seminar still haven't been worked out, but Wilson said she will update the Facebook event for the session when the exact time and location are decided.
