In an interview with ABC News released online yesterday, late Australian actor Heath Ledger’s father Kim Ledger spoke on his son’s untimely death in 2008, following a prescription-medicine overdose at his home in New York.
“The whole thing was such a surprise to us,” Ledger says, “we knew that he was taking some prescription medication for an illness that he had, and you know, my daughter Kate was talking to him literally the night before.”
The interview was not the first of its kind for Kim Ledger, who has become a staunch advocate on raising awareness and preventing accidental prescription medicine overdoses since his son’s death.
Ledger is a patron of Scriptwise, a non-profit organisation aiming to raise awareness over prescription medicine use. In an interview this year, Ledger advocated for more drug-monitoring systems to prevent harm. Ledger criticised the lack of systems in place in Australia, saying, “you can literally go from one doctor to the next in Australia and build up an armoury of pills.”
Accidental addiction to prescription medication can cause serious harm. Those concerned can find support and more information at scriptwise.org.au, or speak to a trusted medical professional.
Via ABC.
