Within weeks, Dr. Baker shared his son’s story with National Public Radio, which aired the segment first in New England and then nationwide on “Morning Edition.”  He agreed to several to have the story presented on Boston television stations and later on “PBS NewsHour,” which was shown on national television and then on BBC worldwide. Dr. Baker and his son Max’s story was included at the “The Opioid Crisis:  Governor’s Roundtable” conference at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2017.  He shared in a presentation about safer opioid use at the American Society of Anesthesiologists national meeting in Boston in 2017, a study which won first prize for poster presentations.  The story was presented in Anesthesiology News so that all could learn from the tragedy.  He also presented what he learned in “Tragedy as Impetus for Change” at the Uniformed Services and Veterans Affairs Anesthesiologists meeting in San Francisco in 2018. In June, 2019, Dr. Baker’s work in advocacy was featured in the American Medical Association’s “End the Epidemic” campaign, highlighting physician leadership during the opioid crisis.

If you have a loved one with addiction or opioid use disorder (heroin, fentanyl, prescription opioids:   Always have narcan immediately available and know how to use it.   (available in most states over the counter, or by prescription in other states).  This can be immediately life saving but must be administered very quickly (nasal spray similar to afrin – one spray can save a life!) Ask your loved one to never use drugs alone – until they can find treatment and recovery, they need to have narcan available and someone willing to give it immediately if there is an overdose.  Seconds count!   Know how to get into the bathroom or bedroom immediately if you think an overdose has happened – sound of a fall, sudden silence – unlock the door if you can, break it down with a large hammer if you have to – within minutes, it will be too late if you can’t get in! Search for effective medical help for addiction in your area – medication assisted therapy (such as suboxine) is by far the most effective treatment, and you need to find a prescriber or facility that can help Be ready 24 hours a day to transport your son or daughter to a facility when they are ready to seek help – it may happen at 3:00 in the morning or on Christmas eve – and when they are ready to seek help, support them and take them for care immediately Reach out to your state or local leaders and share personal stories of addiction in the family and ask for support – civic leaders listen to and respect personal stories Write to your newspaper and support change that helps patients find recovery Contact your leaders in congress (they all have email contacts, and visit their home districts) – share your story and they will listen, they have the power to make change Ask your doctor!  “can you help me?  I want to stop using drugs.”  “can you help my child?  I am afraid he will die from an overdose.”  the answer should be “yes!”  if your doctor can’t or won’t help, ask for a referral to someone who will – and consider asking your doctor “please learn how to treat addiction – this is the number one threat to Americans under age 50, and we need your help!”