Our names are Yasamin (right) and Meher (left). With family members who have suffered from alcoholism, Meher and I have dealt with similar experiences that invoked fear and angst. Both of us lacked the resources to talk with others who would genuinely understand our situation and the pain we encountered. My mother always discouraged me from talking about how I felt to my friends, convincing me that we should be ashamed for what was happening to our family and that it should be kept a secret. For years, I felt so alone, but after becoming friends with Meher and bonding over our shared struggles, I learned that it is okay to talk about my worries. Our friendship became stronger as we found comfort in sharing with one another. Although substance abuse is incredibly difficult for the person going through it, society often fails to consider the effects on their loved ones. The fact that we had known each other for years but never knew about the other person’s struggles made us realize that there must be more people around us going through a similar experience. Together, we became committed to making sure that no other child goes through what we did without any support. Once we heard about the Dragon Kim Foundation, we realized that this was the perfect way to turn our dream into reality. By creating support groups and increased education, we can spread the message that ALL those involved deserve the opportunity to receive help.