Maureen Cavanagh's gripping memoir If You Love Me is the story of a mother who suddenly finds herself on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic as her daughter battles--and ultimately confronts--substance use disorder.
Fast-paced and heartwarming, devastating and redemptive, Maureen's incredible odyssey into the opioid crisis--first as a parent, then as an advocate--is ultimately a deeply moving mother-daughter story about love, strength, and hope. When Maureen and her ex-husband Mike see their daughter Katie's needle track marks for the first time, it is a complete shock. But, slowly, the drug use explains everything--Katie's constant exhaustion, erratic moods, and all those spoons that have gone missing from the house. Like millions of parents and relatives all over the country--many of whom she has helped through her nonprofit organization--Maureen learns that recovery is neither straightforward nor brief. Over a roller-coaster two years, Maureen battles to save Katie's life, and in telling this unforgettable story, she brings the opioid crisis out of the shadows and into the house next door.