Denise Damewood, RN, BSN, MAR
Founder of Project Gabe- Opioid misuse awareness, education, overdose antagonist and harm reduction tools for industrial workforces with a focus on the commercial fishing industry. Nurse consultant with the State of Alaska Department of Health, Public Health, and Alaska Marine Safety Education (AMSEA).
I have been a registered nurse for over twenty-four years. In 2022 my stepson Gabe died from an opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning. During these years when Gabe passed, I served as a public health nurse living in a small Southeast Alaska fishing community. My pilot routinely would fly me by float plane to several off-road-system fishing villages where I grew close ties to those who depend on the seas for survival. It was during this time of tragic loss and grief I bonded with my seafood friends as we shared common stories of loss due to substance overdoses, especially while out at sea. Project Gabe is a project born out of profound loss, shared over mutual affection of the seas and livings built from hard work.