The Julia E. Oyer Addiction Education Fund was created in Julia’s memory with the purpose of providing resources to better educate patients, families, healthcare providers and hospital support personnel about addiction as a treatable, chronic medical disease and provide financial resources for more interdisciplinary support to council and treat patients with Alcohol Use Disorder and Substance Use Disorder.
Julia Oyer was a beautiful, brilliant and sharp-witted woman with a big heart and a passion to make a positive impact in health care. She was born and raised in Central New York, graduating in the top 5 of her class from Liverpool High School. After being accepted into Northeastern University’s Honors Program on scholarship, she moved to Boston to get her undergraduate degree in health sciences and a Master of Public Health. She loved living in Boston, she loved the Red Sox, and started her career working for a health care technology company in the Boston area.
Sadly, her passions and plans were derailed when she became addicted to alcohol in her mid-20s.
Julia developed health issues related to heavy drinking which forced her to seek medical assistance. During multiple emergency department visits, hospitalizations and doctors’ appointments, clinicians acknowledged the role alcohol played in her declining health but solely focused treatment on the emerging health issues. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) was never addressed as a root cause of her illnesses, and the severity of the AUD was never assessed. So, when Julia told her doctors that she wasn’t ready to seek treatment, she was not counseled about the dangers of trying to detox without medical assistance. And when her family members asked for information about her illnesses and how to support her, they were referred to Al-Anon. Julia took it upon herself to figure out how to get sober enough to be able to effectively take the medications she was prescribed and keep her appointments.
Julia passed away on March 20, 2021 at the age of 29 due to complications of alcohol withdrawal. She tried to go “cold turkey” in preparation for a doctor’s appointment that was scheduled for the following week.
Addiction is a chronic disease that can be treated. However, a common misconception is that a patient suffering from addiction must want long term sobriety to seek treatment. This dangerous paradigm sets up the patient, and the clinicians treating them, for failure. Treatment programs are available that can help a patient safely abstain from alcohol and drug use so they can effectively address a health issue. Research has shown that such programs can be effective in leading patients to longer term sobriety.
Julia’s family wants to spare another family from the pain and heartbreak they experienced after losing her. Her family wants to change the narrative around addiction. Addiction is not a moral failing. Addiction is a chronic disease that can be treated.
Donate using form below.
Mail your donation to:Upstate Foundation, 750 E. Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210Please indicate that your gift is to the Julia Oyer Addiction Education Fund.
Call the Upstate Foundation at 315-464-4416.
Select your gift amount, then your fund and click Continue.