Empowered Voices

We’re honored to uplift the voices of six individuals who used opioids or received treatment for opioid use disorder during pregnancy and while parenting. Their experiences highlight how stigma and barriers to care influence maternal health inequities and substance use. At the same time, their stories reflect the strength and resilience required to navigate and overcome these challenges.

Take a moment to listen to the real-life stories below.

These are the people behind the numbers – and their voices matter.

real people. real stories.

Trigger warning: this page contains references to themes of substance use, opioid toxicity, substance-related harms, pregnancy and childbirth, mental illness, sexual assault, abuse, injury, intergenerational trauma, and racism, which may be upsetting for some individuals.

Click below to listen to real stories about opioids and pregnancy

The Empowered Voices Storytelling Project was supported by a Community Engagement & Knowledge Mobilization Grant from the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children at The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto. We thank the storytellers including, Ashley Smoke, Mary Black, Martyna, Mel, and Moira, Coleen Rajotte for producing Mary’s story, Canarts Media for story editing, and Dr. Priscilla Medeiros for her expertise in community engagement and knowledge translation.