INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Sunday marked Overdose Awareness Day in Indiana.

Nationally, the day is celebrated Aug. 31, but in Indiana, Aug. 25 is set aside to increase awareness.

To honor Hoosier lives that have been lost, Indiana-based nonprofit Overdose Lifeline put on its 10th annual Overdose Awareness Day event at the Indiana State Museum, and hosted families of lives lost to overdose.

The program featured a meal together, a formal program, a candlelight vigil, and prevention resources.

“I believe healing, sharing, and prevention, those are three words that I would use to describe it,” attendee Tammie Nelson said about the event.

Nelson is hopeful the event will continue to boost awareness.

“A lot of people are still under the belief that substance use disorder, substance use, is a choice,” Nelson said. “And it’s not, it’s a disease, just like diabetes or cancer, and there should be awareness that there is hope.”

Tables were placed near a powerful backdrop of photos of several loved ones who have died.

Dr. Maria Robles is a physician focused on addiction medicine.

“I have a really hard time with the wall,” Robles said. “Our goal is recovery and getting people back on their feet and hoping that we can prevent things like this. We know that no matter what we do sometimes this is still the end result.”

She emphasized that despite the sad reality, partnering with community organizations like Overdose Lifeline is essential to keeping awareness at the center of the conversation.

Overdose Lifeline has several resources and opportunities to increase awareness year-round. For more information, click here.