VO: Meet Dr. Timothy Endy, the chair for the department of microbiology and immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Endy’s world revolves around his family, even when it comes to developing new vaccines.
Dr. Endy SOT: ” I honed in on heroin because I have a personal interest in heroin because of our own family’s struggle with addiction in our son.”
VO: It was his son’s addiction, in addition to the countless overdoses he has seen in recent years at Upstate, that inspired him to help develop the “heroin vaccine.”
Dr. Endy SOT: “What it does is it prevents the heroin molecule to go across the very tight blood brain barrier- that wall, and um the heroin can’t effect the opioid centers in the brain, a person can’t get high from heroin, and the person can’t overdose.”
VO: While Dr. Endy’s contribution to help end the opioid crisis revolves around medical research, a local woman is making a difference in another way.
Darlene Endy SOT: ” So the people that we help are looking for someone different, they’re looking for a new start, and they want to do that in a new location. So we send them to Austin, Texas for a 90 day treatment program followed by 90 days of sober living.”
VO: Darlene Endy is the C-E-O of Road 2 Recovery Central New York, a non-profit organization that pays for long-term treatment for C-N-Y residents who are addicted to opioids. Like her husband Dr. Endy, Darlene was inspired by her son’s recovery.
Darlene Endy SOT: ” We didn’t think he was gonna make it… and when he did, we wanted to share that good news.”
VO: The Endy’s son Justin has been sober for two and a half years now. Today, the couple just hopes to combat and de-stigmatize opioid addiction.
Darlene Endy SOT: ” Don’t give up on your loved one. There’s a way to get sober and here’s one that we found, and we want to share that with other people.”
VO: Hailey Rene, NCC News
By Hailey René SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Endy’s are taking the words “tag team” to a whole new level. Dr. Timothy Endy and Darlene Endy have three adult children together, and one common goal: to help individuals beat their opioid addictions.
Dr. Endy is a Professor and Chair of microbiology and immunology at Upstate University Hospital, and is working to develop a vaccine that could save addicts from overdosing.
“What it does is it prevents the heroin molecule to go across the very tight blood brain barrier…” Dr. Endy said. “The heroin can’t affect the opioid centers in the brain, a person can’t get high from heroin, and the person can’t overdose.”
The vaccine would be administered to recovering addicts who are post-treatment, but want to prevent relapsing. This is the most vulnerable and dangerous time for addicts, according to Endy, and when doctors see the most overdoses.
Darlene Endy, on the other hand, is the CEO of a non-profit organization called “Road 2 Recovery CNY.” This organization funds recovering addicts to be sent to Austin, Texas for a unique rehabilitation program. Endy and her colleagues started the organization just over a year ago, and have helped almost 15 people.
What inspires their work? Their son, Justin. The Endys’ son Justin is celebrating two and a half years of sobriety after battling his heroin addiction for years. When the program in Austin was able to help Justin, Dr. Endy and Darlene wanted to raise awareness for others.
” We didn’t think he was gonna make it… and when he did, we wanted to share that good news,” Darlene Endy said.
At the end of the day, the Endys hope to keep addicts and their families hopeful that there’s a way out of opioid addiction.
” Don’t give up on your loved one,” Darlene Endy said. “There’s a way to get sober and here’s one that we found, and we want to share that with other people.”
