Cory was a varsity high school athlete on the National Honor Society. Cory had a love for the game of baseball. The baseball diamond was the happiest place on earth for him. His junior year of high school, he suffered a shoulder injury which required surgery. After surgery Cory was prescribed opiates for pain.
He became addicted to his opiate pain medication and eventually became addicted to heroin.
On July 15, 2013, Cory suffered a heroin overdose, which left him permanently disabled. From Adversity to Advocacy, Cory’s family shares their story by speaking at schools and to other organizations about the dangers of drugs. They strive to offer a message of hope for those who are faced with addiction.
Warning labels are a critical step toward educating the public about the risks of opioids. Patients cannot solely depend on their doctors to educate them about the risks of taking painkillers. Because of the confusing names and ingredients, many families may not know that they have just left the pharmacy with a bottle full of danger.
Cory Palazzi was first prescribed opioids as a teen after undergoing surgery on his shoulder for a baseball injury. His mother, Lori Gonsalves, said she never imagined that the medication could open the door to addiction. She thought it was OK to give my son this medication because it was prescribed by a doctor. It did not even cross her mind that these drugs were addicting. Cory says once he started taking the pills, he was hooked.
In an effort to help those others who are dealing with the challenges Cory’s family once faced, they have formed the Cory’s Cause Foundation. The goal is to help educate individuals about this epidemic and remove the stigma by educating individuals through sharing Cory’s story.
Cory as a baby.
Cory with Lori & Dave.
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