On July 7, 1982, Donna Bliss embarked on a journey that changed her life. “After years of struggling with alcohol and panic attacks, I hit bottom,” she says. “Though I had tried to make positive changes on my own, it wasn’t working.” She turned to the hospital where she was born for help.
“I did not want to drink or take pills anymore and entered into detox. During my stay, the hospital staff who cared for me played a huge role in pointing me in the right direction. They helped me come to understand and address the issues that had sent me down the destructive path I had been on…one day at a time. They literally transformed my life,” Donna says.
In the 39 years since then, she has accomplished things she never dreamed possible. She went back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in social work, and, ultimately, a doctorate in social work. She has held positions in the addiction field as a counselor, clinical supervisor, professor, and program director. And today, at the age of 67, she works as a university professor, psychotherapist, and life coach.
That’s why, every year on the anniversary of her sobriety, she makes a gift of gratitude to MedStar Montgomery Medical Center.
“Individuals who work with people like me, who have substance abuse or other behavioral health problems, often don’t realize the positive impact they have. They tend to have more follow-up contact with those who end up back in treatment. They don’t see those they truly helped,” she explains. “I am a testament to the fact that what they do really does make a difference. I am very grateful for what they did for me.”