A heroin addict who was given twelve months to live last August looks stunning as she celebrates a year of sobriety.
Thirty-six-year-old Caroline Best from the West Midlands, England, had spent the past 15 years in and out of prison after being incarcerated for a series of petty thefts she used to fund her drug habit.
Then, last August, things reached breaking point when her addiction to crack cocaine and heroin caused her heart to fail. Doctors were not able to operate to save her life unless she got clean.
An angel then came for Carolin in the form of PC Stuart Toogood of the West Midlands Police who helped the 36-year-old enrol at a rehab facility where she was given the necessary support and tools to beat her demons.
Caroline said: "Thanks to Stuart Toogood, I'm now a productive member of society and I thank him for helping me do something I couldn't do on my own. I am living proof that we can recover."
She is now working with the officer to help other addicts turn their lives around, and currently resides in a dry house to minimise the risk of temptation.
Incredibly, Caroline managed to avoid having an operation on her heart, as the damaged valve which was threatening her life repaired itself as she recovered.
PC Stuart Toogood of the Birmingham Neighbourhood team said: "Our Offender to Rehab Programme has so far successfully placed nine prolific offenders into rehab.
"Of the five who have completed the program one has gained full-time employment at Timpson, two have worked as volunteers for Birmingham Mind charity and completed adult education courses. They have also been ambassadors for WMP, presented at several business conferences to raise awareness of the program and the benefits of it for the business community. And two people are in aftercare at dry houses - one should be progressing into employment soon whilst the other is about to undertake adult education courses."
"Four other people are currently in treatment and doing well. Several others are in the process of being assessed for rehab placement," he continued.
"This has resulted in a huge reduction of shop thefts in and around the Birmingham North and East regions as many offenses were being committed by a core group of offenders. We are certainly seeing a benefit in this new approach."
Congratulations Caroline! May your story inspire others.
