Learn how to get help if your or a loved one is dealing with substance abuse disorder
The nonprofit hosted a Berkeley County Overdose Awareness Day at Unity Park in August 2024.
The call came in late on a Friday afternoon. A terrified woman put Nanci Steadman Shipman on speaker as her husband, the father of her six-month-old baby, lay sobbing and detoxing on the bathroom floor of their apartment. “Within three hours, we had dropped off Narcan, found him a spot in a treatment facility, and insulated the wife with support services,” says the WakeUp Carolina founder and executive director. She would receive three more such calls before the close of that evening. “People phone or walk into our offices desperate for resources right then. Their crisis is now, and we can’t do what we do halfway.”
Shipman’s passion for recovery work comes from a deeply personal place. In July 2016, the mother of four lost her 19-year-old son to heroin. A star lacrosse player, Creighton had become addicted to opioids following an injury, and despite rehabilitation efforts, succumbed to an overdose days after leaving treatment. “In Creighton’s hospital room, my children and I made a promise to ensure no person or family would ever have to walk this walk alone,” she says. Out of their heartbreak grew WakeUp Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of and reducing the stigma around substance-use disorder while providing hope for recovery from addiction.
Since 2017, the group has organized free support groups for anyone impacted by substance misuse, including young adults ages 14 to 22, mothers, fathers, and siblings, with meetings held at its offices in Mount Pleasant and Moncks Corner. A first of its kind in the state, the “Creighton’s House” program offers young adults peer-centered support focused on living drug- and alcohol-free. WakeUp Carolina has also begun forging relationships with area schools, bringing in survivors to share recovery stories and organizing conversations during which students can openly ask hard questions.
Executive director Nanci Steadman Shipman founded WakeUp Carolina after losing her son, Creighton, to opioid addiction.
Two years ago, WakeUp Carolina also became the first organization outside law enforcement to access the Critical Incident Management System (CIMS), which tracks overdoses in real time. “When friends and family are at the scene, the odds of them also overdosing escalate tremendously,” explains Shipman. Within about an hour of any incident, the organization identifies those at-risk individuals and reaches out via text or phone to offer wraparound services such as peer support groups and access to treatment. “It’s a critical time for infusing resources because someone’s willingness to receive help is fleeting. That window may be the difference between life and death.”
If the nonprofit doesn’t get a response, they continue reaching out for days, weeks, even months. “We let them know we’re not going anywhere.” Shipman remembers receiving a call seven months after a girl overdosed with a plea from her father, who finally felt ready to get his daughter into treatment.
Shipman visits with supporters at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for WakeUp Carolina’s Moncks Corner office in March 2024.
In fact, the phone never stops ringing for the nonprofit’s seven-person team, who field anywhere from 300 to 700 calls weekly, often sharing their personal cell numbers to keep the office line open. Since the COVID pandemic, WakeUp Carolina has provided aid to 1.8 million people, many of them visitors to the area. The staffers respond quickly, assessing what substances a person is using, which resources fit the situation, whether insurance is available, and how to best provide support. “We meet people where they are,” says the director. That means providing training in and distributing naloxone (a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses) and offering rapid HIV/HCV testing. The group also gives out fentanyl and xylazine testing strips—free of charge and no questions asked—so users can check if their drugs have been laced with these dangerous substances.
When asked about her motivation, Shipman references “I Stand by the Door,” a poem by priest Sam Shoemaker. “We can’t force people into recovery. We simply hold the door open,” she says. “We stand here to let people know that there is a door, there is hope. And we’re here with you.”
If you or a loved one needs help: Call (843) 972-8154 in Mount Pleasant or (843) 761-6677 in Moncks Corner.
To learn more about WakeUp Carolina’s support groups and volunteer opportunities, or to donate, visit wakeupcarolina.org.
