‘A place of hope’ — Sinisi seeks to raise awareness of addiction’s pain

The beautification of Tuckahoe Park with a new garden featuring a metal sculpture and a seating area is part labor of love, part grief therapy and a symbol of hope for those who have endured their own or a loved one's struggle against addiction.

Organized by Marianne Sinisi of Altoona, the enhancements to the city parkscape provide a place of solace for her and her husband, Michael, as they grieve for their son, Shawn, who died two years ago Sept. 4 of a heroin/Fentanyl overdose at age 26.

Sinisi is also the founder of Families United for Change, a group for the survivors of those who have overdosed or whose lives were impacted by substance use disorder. SUD, more commonly referred to as drug addiction, is the term Sinisi and others prefer because, according to the Mayo Clinic website, addiction/substance use disorder, is a "disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs," according to the health care provider's website.

SUD, Sinisi said, more accurately describes the abuse cycle and is less stigmatizing.

A pink granite slab is inscribed with a quote from Sinisi: "To all those that we lost to SUD; To all those who suffer today; to find a path" and a quote from Jose N. Harris: "Falling is part of life; getting back up is living."

Sinisi has spent the summer planting and overseeing the creation of an ironwork created by metal artist Dave Beach of Fox Chapel Iron Works. Sinisi hopes the park improvements inspire more support, kindness and respect for those ensnared in the web of addiction -- those who have died from an overdose, their grieving families and those who continue to battle addiction demons.

"I want to bring awareness to the people of this town that this (addiction) is something that people do not ask for. They don't want to have this. They and their family members should be supported and shouldn't be shamed for a medical condition that they have," Sinisi said.

For Sinisi, SUD is analogous to someone who smokes cigarettes and gets lung cancer or has a heart attack and still eats hamburgers. "We don't punish them (cancer/heart attack survivors). These drugs are so powerful ... but society thinks they should be punished," she said.

She hopes the park improvements will raise awareness and reduce the associated stigma for both the user and his family.

Many area businesses responded generously to her fundraising efforts to improve the park, raise awareness and offer hope.

Drug and alcohol addiction counselor Leslie Turner of Impact Counseling of Hollidaysburg applauds Sinisi for her efforts. Turner who lost her brother to a stroke while he was in rehab for addiction issues knows the pain firsthand.

"There is a lack of compassion toward people who have lost loved ones through addiction," she said. "I love what she is doing, and it looks so beautiful. It makes me feel that we are not alone and those who we love who have addictions aren't alone," Turner said. "We don't see that compassion when someone dies from addiction. People treat it differently. No one reaches out like they do when someone dies of a car accident. There's no food deliveries, for example. People lack empathy for people like Marianne and my parents. My brother's life was beautiful, and his addiction didn't define his life."

Turner agrees with Sinisi that society overall needs an attitudinal shift toward more compassion, empathy and kindness because punishment, shame and guilt compounds the problems experienced by those with SUD and their families.

"I want it to be a place of hope and not about loss, although the loss is tremendous. I want a place for people in recovery from addiction to go and see that the community cares and they are not alone. It is also a memorial to people who have been lost through this disease and a way to show love and hope for their families."

Sinisi's project and the sculpture is "very unique and powerful," said Frank Cascino, 47, of Johnstown. Cascino is a person in recovery who often speaks publicly about his addiction to heroin and prescription painkillers.

"The message on the plaque makes it very special and is very positive ... and is very powerful. I wish the (stigmatization mentality) would change. ... I want people who are suffering to understand that they don't have to feel guilt and shame for the rest of their lives. There is power in change. People in recovery are the strongest people in the world because we fight every single day."

Sinisi would like to see additional improvements at the park, including better lighting but has run out of funds and is looking for lighting to be donated.

"This is a gift I am giving for everyone to enjoy ... and so we can change the stigma," Sinisi said. "It's also a gift to my child, because he didn't get what he could have gotten when he was here."

Her late son used to tease her about her gardening. "He didn't see the peace it brought me," Sinisi said. ""(Shawn) knew how hard I fought for him. He is inspiring to me to keep fighting."