Championing Change: Susan Sanderson’s Unyielding Advocacy for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery…

Championing Change: Susan Sanderson’s Unyielding Advocacy for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Funding

For 15 years, Susan Sanderson of Realistic Success Recovery Society has been a tireless advocate for adequate funding on behalf of mental health and substance use services. Her advocacy has initiated significant positive changes across the sector.

The Realistic Success Recovery Society was founded in 2007 by the late Gary Robinson. Historically, substance use was treated punitively, but, like Together We Can, Realistic Success offers well-run and ethical programs for men seeking recovery from addiction. However, funding, government structures, policies, and service delivery models do not meet the rising needs of a vulnerable population.

Both as President and then Executive Director, Susan Sanderson not only took up the role of her late husband’s passion for helping others but also became a driving force in the advocacy for mental health and substance use services. Her lobbying efforts led to the initiation of the first per diem of $30.90 daily, a modest sum but a start, nonetheless.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Susan rallied the recovery sector, encouraging involvement in subcommittees and spearheading a letter-writing campaign to the NDP provincial government. Her relentless advocacy culminated on March 12, 2024, when her efforts concluded with a substantial increase in funding for assisted living registered facilities (67%) and community care license programs (64%).

Together We Can would like to thank Susan Sanderson and all the people involved in the advocacy work aimed at helping operators of the addiction recovery sector, which has been struggling to meet the growing needs of our clients for decades.

Bravo.

Staff writer - Susan Hogarth

Championing Change: Susan Sanderson’s Unyielding Advocacy for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery… was originally published in Together We Can on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

TWC Summer Slam 2026: Celebrating 10 Years of Recovery, Connection, and New Beginnings

July 27, 2026
For 10 years, the TWC Summer Slam Recovery Slo-Pitch Tournament has been more than a softball event — it has been a place where people in recovery, newcomers, families, and supporters come together to experience something truly powerful: connection, belonging, and the reminder that recovery is a life worth celebrating.  Held at Riverway Sports Complex in Burnaby, the 2026 TWC Summer Slam marked a decade of community, partnership, and recovery. What began in 2016 through a partnership between Together We Can and Revolution Recovery has grown into one of British Columbia’s largest recovery-focused slo-pitch tournaments, bringing together hundreds of participants each year. This milestone year welcomed 28 teams and more than 500 participants for a weekend filled with teamwork, laughter, encouragement, and connection. While the competition brought everyone onto the field, the heart of Summer Slam has always been the people — especially those who are new to recovery and experiencing their first tasteof what a supportive recovery community can offer.

Ten Years of the Overdose Crisis in British Columbia: A Call to Continue Acting

By Sonaiya Wilson • April 14, 2026
Over the past decade, British Columbia has been at the centre of a public health emergency that has touched every community across the province—the toxic drug and overdose crisis.

Hockey Helps the Homeless: Bringing Support to Our Community

By Sonaiya Wilson • March 20, 2026
The Together We Can Street Reach Project is a staff and volunteer-led initiative dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness in Vancouver and surrounding areas. Our team assembles care packages filled with essential items, along with resource booklets listing shelters, treatment centres, and other vital services. During our outings, we walk along the Downtown Eastside, handing out 100–200 care packages at a time. In Canada, nearly three-quarters of people experiencing homelessness are also facing mental health and/or substance use challenges , highlighting the urgent need for accessible, compassionate support in the community.  We’ve also extended our reach to the Whalley District in Surrey, partnering with our friends at Back On Track Recovery to ensure more people have access to the support they need. Last year, we hosted a special event at Oppenheimer Park, inviting other organizations to provide resources and information to the community. Together, we handed out pizza, care packages, and shared the work of Together We Can with those we met.