Hello! My name is Ekansh, and I'm a senior at The Ohio State University. I am majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Substance Misuse and Addiction. Through my work with BREACH (Buckeyes Racial/Ethnic Equity Awareness Centered in Healthcare), I've spent a lot of time thinking about the barriers that keep people from getting the care they need, especially when it comes to stigma and access. That same interest led me to get involved in harm reduction work, including Narcan trainings aimed at helping students and community members recognize and respond to overdoses.  

Through these experiences, I've seen how substance use disorders and so many other diseases are often met with judgment instead of support, even though recovery is possible when people have access to the right resources. That's what drew me to Talbot Hall at OSU Hospital East, which has spent decades providing addiction medicine care, including inpatient and outpatient treatment, residential care, and peer recovery support, to individuals across Ohio.  

That's why I'm raising funds for the OSU Hospital East - Talbot Hall Addiction Medicine Program Fund during my time on Homecoming Court. Every dollar helps support the physicians and staff working to give people struggling with substance use a real chance at recovery. I hope you'll join me in supporting a future where people get met with compassion instead of stigma. Thank you!