Former Heroine Addict and Prostitute Turned Lawyer and Mentor Helps Others with Their Futures

19 November 2006

With a life-story that reads more like a Hollywood movie script than reality, Francine Ward has risen from rock bottom to achieve incredible success. Her teenage and early adult years were marked by homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse and prostitution. She was told she would never walk again after being struck by a car at the age of 26 and with no formal education, her future looked hopeless.

While many would have given into circumstance, Francine Ward determinedly set about to create positive life changes for herself; changes and lessons she will now share with those attending the Esteemable Acts Conference taking place on November 18, 2006. This is a message that Renascent, an organization committed to helping people live full lives in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, wants to deliver to its alumni and anyone who has allowed fear to defeat dreams and action.

Ward, who is based in California, will share her life-changing experiences and discuss the concept of Esteemable Acts. The woman who was never supposed to walk again has now completed two 26.2-mile marathons. The high-school dropout now has her law-degree and is a practicing lawyer. The heroine addict and alcoholic is now entirely clean and sober and the prostitute now works as an entrepreneur, life-coach and mentor.

Francine Ward has experienced the unthinkable and now uses her life experiences to positively affect change in others. She has treaded where many cannot even fathom and has come back to help anyone wanting to achieve their dreams, overcome their own fears and develop self-esteem.

Ward has most recently documented her life journey in a book entitled Esteemable Acts, which was written to help explain her self-developed concept and to help others achieve those goals. It is also a philosophy she personally subscribes to, underscoring every decision she makes in her life. Ward believes in working through fear, one baby step at a time and she would know. She's been there, done it and succeeded and now is helping others do the same.

The Esteemable Acts Conference is just one of many year-round events organized by the Renascent Foundation and Renascent alumni to help alumni, family and friends take responsibility for their continued learning, growth and service to others.

"We are extremely pleased to have Francine Ward as our keynote speaker for the conference this year," says Michael Mazza, Executive Director of the Renascent Foundation. "She is an extraordinary woman with an incredible story; a story which has resulted in life changes for hundreds of people who have been touched by the Esteemable Acts philosophy. We hope her first Canadian speaking engagement will bring similar change and inspiration to those in attendance."

The Esteemable Acts Conference takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on November 18, 2006 at Angus Glen Golf Club. For more information, contact Lorraine Johnson: 416-927-1202, x229 or ljohnson@renascent.ca.

About Renascent

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People working and living in Ontario turn to Renascent to find lasting solutions to alcoholism and drug addiction. Renascent is one of Canada's oldest and largest treatment providers, helping 28,000 men and women since 1970.

Ontarians rely on Renascent because it delivers among the highest success rates in the world and because Renascent responds to the distinct needs of families and employers affected by addiction.

Renascent's Complete Care approach works. Renascent combines intensive treatment with a structured relapse prevention program, lifelong access to alumni services and family care to address all aspects of the disease.

Established in 1983, the Renascent Foundation is a separate, registered charitable organization that provides an annual grant to Renascent to safeguard access, protect program integrity and fund the development of new recovery services for individuals, families and employers. While Renascent receives an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, services are not covered by OHIP. Renascent relies on donors and volunteers to protect free access to certain services.

For more information visit: www.renascent.ca

Media note: Francine Ward will be available for interviews on Friday,

November 17, 2006.

For further information: Audrey Hyams Romoff x222, Laura Hillmer x228, OverCat Communications, (416) 966-9970, ahromoff@overcatcommunications.com

Source: newswire

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