The Gerchow and DeVivo family’s profound loss of Xavier to fentanyl poisoning was a heart-wrenching event that left them grappling with anger and grief. Instead of being consumed by the darkness of their heartache, they channeled their pain into creating XFoundation, a beacon of hope and resilience. I’ve known the Gerchows for many years and have been deeply moved by their courage, strength, creativity, and compassion—qualities that Xavier embodied and now fuel the foundation's mission.
XFoundation's dedication to educating and empowering communities against fentanyl poisoning demonstrates the team's passion for helping others navigate their grief and find hope. As a mental health provider, I felt compelled to join XFoundation to support its integration of mental health, psychological well-being, and research into its advocacy and awareness efforts. My clinical training with adolescents and families facing serious mental health challenges and substance abuse issues has shown me the critical need for such support in our communities nationwide.
Our mission to educate and empower communities against fentanyl poisoning has led us to increase our mental health integration efforts by collaborating with schools and our community to provide financial support for extracurriculars and educational resources on harm reduction, including differentiating poisoning from overdose. These efforts aim not only to remove stigmas surrounding systemic issues but also to support families, like the Gerchows, in grieving their loved ones lost to the fentanyl epidemic.
As we grew, we realized the significant gaps in research, education, and community support regarding fentanyl, particularly concerning gender and diversity differences. As a visiting professor at Northwest University, teaching doctoral students studying counseling psychology, my students eagerly volunteered to help bridge these knowledge gaps in understanding the fentanyl epidemic.
Our Northwest University blog series provides resources backed by empirical research and highlights the disparities in our understanding of fentanyl's impact. We aim to give parents and community members the information and support to protect their communities, families, and children. All our authors in the series are master-level practitioners and doctoral students working in mental health. In doing so, we hope the series identifies what we know, what we are doing, and what more can be done to combat this epidemic, ultimately minimizing the grief and loss experienced by families like the Gerchows and creating a lasting legacy for Xavier.
If you haven’t already, catch up on our Northwest University blog series for insights from our mental health experts—it just might help you save a life.
Explore our blogs to date below and stay tuned for more:
