MARLBORO, Mass. — Cheryl Juaire, a mother from Marlborough, has fulfilled her mission in honor of her two late sons by creating opioid overdose awareness Massachusetts license plates to support families affected by substance abuse disorders.
After losing her sons Corey and Sean to opioid overdoses, Cheryl Juaire founded Team Sharing, an organization that provides support to families who have experienced similar losses. The group has grown to over 5,000 members nationwide, with 1,000 in Massachusetts.
“I didn’t know anyone who lost a child, let alone to addiction,” Cheryl Juaire said, reflecting on her journey through grief after losing her son Corey in 2011. “And that was life-changing for me,” Juaire said about connecting with other parents through social media. “If we didn’t have that, we would all be lost,” Juaire emphasized the importance of Team Sharing’s support network.
“I heard about these license plates that you could apply for and that would be a fundraiser,” Juaire explained her initiative to create awareness plates. “That was not easy, asking someone to give you $40 and say you may or may not get a license plate, but we’re gonna try,” Juaire said told Boston 25’s Kerry Kavanaugh.
Despite the challenge of gathering 750 pre-paid applications for the license plates, Juaire persevered, driven by the support of other mothers who rallied around her after the loss of her second son, Sean in 2021.
“I just remember screaming and falling to my knees and saying God, how am I going to do this twice,” Juaire recalled the moment she lost her second son, Sean. “At my home, after losing Sean, there were about 20 moms that came over and they made sure I had my slippers, that I went to bed, that I ate,” Juaire shared how the support of other mothers helped her cope.
“It was surreal, it was so surreal to me,” Juaire described receiving the first awareness plate on Mother’s Day. “It’s my hopes that these people will see this license plate and reach out, come over to my car and say--hey, what’s the significance of that for you-- and I can share my story,” Juaire expressed her hopes for the impact of the plates.
The initiative aims to raise awareness and funds to support more families in need. The opioid overdose awareness plates serve not only as a fundraiser but also as a conversation starter. Juaire hopes that when people see the plates, they will inquire about their significance, allowing her to share her story and spread awareness about the impact of opioid addiction. Anyone with a plate can request from Team Sharing a kit containing information on where to turn if someone has a loved one in crisis, including medicine that can reverse an overdose if administered in time. Juaire believes that one bit of information from the kit could save someone’s life.
The opioid overdose awareness license plates are now available through the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, with proceeds supporting Team Sharing’s mission to help families affected by substance abuse. Cheryl Juaire’s efforts continue to inspire and provide hope to those facing similar challenges. You can get more information on the organization’s website.
“What we always say is, we can’t save our children, but we can start to save yours,” Juaire said.
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