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22 Today, it would be difficult to find someone who has not been impacted by addiction in some way. It's everywhere. "That's the scariest thing about addiction," Chris Herren explains. "Nobody knows who has it." At Seekonk's Herren Wellness, an all-encompassing approach to treatment provides much needed support and guidance for all stages of recovery. Chris Herren: A Voice for Change The Herren family knows that beginning your life of recovery is the key to unlocking a future with limitless possibilities. Chris Herren, beloved Fall River basketball player gone pro, has devoted his life to building a community of support around substance use prevention and recovery. His Herren Talks presentation has taken him across the country, speaking to over a million students, athletes and community members about addiction. In 2019 he released The First Day, a film challenging young adults to examine the consequences of seemingly harmless choices made early in life. "We focus on the worst day, and we forget the first day," explains Chris in the film. Rather than focus on the final stages of life with addiction, he focuses on the first day, helping kids understand that it can happen to them or someone they love. A proud husband, father and friend in recovery, Chris just celebrated 15 years of sobriety. In 2011, he and his wife Heather started a nonprofit organization called the Herren Project. Their mission is to support, inspire and empower individuals and families, providing resources to those in need including treatment and recovery services. They are changing the conversation around substance use disorder to be more positive, celebrating wellness and recovery and helping remove the stigma surrounding addiction. Other initiatives include providing critical resources to schools and communities to help prevent the misuse of drugs and alcohol. To date, Herren Project has awarded over $8 million in scholarships and grants for recovery and treatment- related expenses. Discover Your Why: Herren Wellness Written by Robin Young, photography by Christine Hochkeppel