faces of wellness

Steven Prudhomme

Grand prize recipient

Steven Prudhomme was awarded an expense-paid trip to Banff, Alberta, for his heart-wrenching and inspiring testament to perseverance through a time of extreme hardship.

Steven’s struggle with addiction and substance abuse led him down a dark path many simply cannot find their way out of, but he did. His road to recovery included two and a half months at Alberta Hospital, a year at an addiction treatment centre and two more years in a post-treatment facility.

During this time, he became involved in the sober community and began volunteering—eventually becoming a board member of a sober organization and helping to guide other men through their early recovery days. He was encouraged by a director at the post-treatment home to become a social worker, and so, at the age of 35, he enrolled at MacEwan University and recently completed his social work program with a placement to follow.

Today, Steven is committed to helping others discover live beyond addiction, working with both the Boyle McCauley Health Centre and e4c to support vulnerable Albertans.

“I went from this cookie cutter perfect kid to an image of a character you’d only see in the movies. After the hospital I went into an addiction treatment centre with the idea that I would play along and then I’d be free and I’d go back to what I knew. Well, I was wrong.”