How was BCNC Started?
A group of voluntary support people held a meeting which resulted in the forming of a new benzodiazepine support group. The support group will be known as Benzodiazepines: Co-operation Not Confrontation (BCNC). It will be primarily aimed at people who are affected by prescription supplied benzodiazepines although help will be given wherever it is needed.
The founding members of the group were :-
Barry and Sue Haslam who are both involved with Beat the Benzo and live in the Oldham area.
Mike and Pauline Levins who assist in the running of a voluntary drug centre, again in the Oldham area.
Allan and Thelma Weatherburn who have been Carers for the Last twenty years and live in Cumbria.
Gwen Bailey an ex-nurse and a user of benzodiazepines who is partaking in a withdrawal programme She lives in the Bournemouth area.
Alison Kellagher, a psychotherapist, who lives in America and was addicted to benzodiazepines for 17 years before weaning herself off them some three and a half years ago.
Ross, although not present at the meeting in Oldham was invited to join the group within days and to be responsible for the setting up of our BCNC Website.
Ross has taken prescribed benzodiazepines in the past . He has a wealth of knowledge on the subject as well as having many contacts within the various groups attempting to help people dependent on both benzodiazepines and other types of drugs Without his efforts the website and forum would be non existent.
Mae is the latest volunteer to join BCNC. She has survived a severe benzodiazepine addiction and come out the otherside. She has a very good understanding of the suffering involved and will be a great asset
to BCNC and its users. We welcome her on board.
Dr J.G. McConnell BSc MD FRCP has joined BCNC as a volunteer. His services to BCNC have and will include reviews of literature content on our web site and general advice and guidance. He hopes to contribute some articles for BCNC on the topic of sedative hypnotic addiction in the near future.
Susan Bibby joined BCNC as a volunteer. She has been a benzodiazepine campaigner for over 2 decades and has experienced benzodiazepine dependency and withdrawal herself. Her campaigning and expertise is the effect of benzodiazepines in pregnancy and the long term effects on neurodevelopment.
