Inspire By Example

17/06/2024

It was one of the greatest honours of my life to be invited to be the Convocation Speaker for Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Media, Arts and Design graduation at Durham College

I was a student there when my dad passed away and I fell to my lowest over the next several years. To go from that low point to being invited to pass along the lessons that have led to places beyond what I ever thought was possible to new graduates gave me the feeling that I had come full circle and graduated in my life.

It was a very surreal experience that will always be up there as one of my proudest achievements.

A very special congratulations to Simran Deb and Clayton DeMaine on receiving their hard earned diplomas. Simran and Clayton were two of the people behind the scenes who were instrumental in the making of Surviving Addiction. It was an honour to shake their hands as they crossed the stage to receive their diplomas.

My biggest congratulations to all of the students on grinding it out and reaching the remarkable achievement that was earned today!

18/05/2024

Trauma To Triumph | Morgan Zack | Episode 9

I would like to give Morgan Zack my deepest thank you for sitting down with me and sharing her personal journey. Sharing your personal journey and some of the darkest experiences for the world to see is not easy. However, those who choose to do so come from a place where what they have went through had such a profound impact on their life and they want others to learn from their experiences. I wanted to open the series with lived experience and end the season with lived experience. In the season finale, Morgan shares her journey through addiction and how she turned her trauma into triumph.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

16/05/2024

10 years ago today, I began a journey across Canada that would change my life forever. I didn’t know what or if anything would come from it, but going all in on something I truly believed in was the best decision I’ve made in my life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

05/05/2024

A Fathers Grief | Kim Pare | Episode 8

I want to give a special thank you to Kim Pare for sitting down with me and sharing his deeply personal story of losing his beautiful daughter Katie. This is the most emotional interview I filmed throughout the series and I am beyond thankful to Kim for sharing a father’s perspective as I think it will help other father’s who have experienced the unimaginable in processing their grief.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

21/04/2024

WHAT GIVES ME HOPE

I bet we have a lot in common.

Year after year, we have watched the overdose crisis get worse and worse despite our best efforts.
We have crossed paths with individuals in our personal lives or our work where their circumstances were at a point where we questioned if they are going to make it through the challenges they are experiencing.
We have met countless families who feel they have tried everything to help their loved one and no longer know what to do. Or worse, they have lost their loved one who was their very purpose for living.
We have worked through a health human resources crisis and observed burnout in our most passionate colleagues.
We have watched the polarization and deepening division of those who argue for harm reduction or recovery, rather than seeing them both as part of a continuum of care.
We have seen ideological differences devolve closer to a point of tribalism, which results in vastly different priorities and approaches in our healthcare strategies.

With the mounting challenges and divisions, it's easy to become cynical and question if we want to continue on with the important work we do. However, let me tell you what gives me hope for the future.

What gives me hope is the resilience I have witnessed in those struggling, who keep moving forward despite the unimaginable trauma they have experienced.
What gives me hope are the people I have met from around the world who have come back from seemingly insurmountable circumstances and share their darkest experiences to help others.
What gives me hope are the families who have been through a pain I wouldn't wish upon anyone, yet use that pain as a catalyst for systemic change.
What gives me hope are the healthcare workers that I have met across the country and have the privilege of working with, whose unwavering passion and dedication are demonstrated day in and day out, inspiring those around them to keep moving forward.
What gives me hope is although we may disagree on what solutions to move forward with, we all genuinely want a positive outcome.
What gives me hope is that our similarities are greater than our differences and if history has taught me anything, it's that if we all can come together and pair hope with a collective strategy and a lot of hard work, there is nothing that cannot be achieved.

Chris Cull

(A write up on “What Gives Me Hope” that I recently did for an addiction medicine newsletter)

19/04/2024

Learning To Cope As A Parent | Angie Hamilton | Episode 7

A special thank you to my wonderful friend and colleague Angie Hamilton for sitting down with me and sharing her journey as a parent of someone struggling. Her remarkable efforts created an organization called Families for Addiction Recovery "FAR" to provide peer support to other parents and families who are fighting similar challenges.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

05/04/2024

Optimism In Addiction Medicine | Dr. Lisa Lefebvre | Episode 6

I want to give a special thank you to the wonderful Lisa Lefebvre for taking the time to sit down with me and share her knowledge, wisdom and optimism. Lisa was the very first person to sit down with me and interview for the series and agreed to be apart of it when the idea was still in the conceptual phase. She is such a wonderful human being and an amazing educator to learn from.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

22/03/2024

A Healing Counsellor | Aly Crawford | Episode 5

A special thank you to my dear friend Ali Catniss for not only coming in twice to interview, but for being such a wonderful example of human resilience. Beyond proud of her and the life saving work she does as a counsellor.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

15/03/2024

Wonderful first day at the UN. Had the honour of meeting delegates from around the world, senior policy makers from the Canadian government, listen to numerous countries drug strategies and catch up with colleagues from across Canada. Pictured is myself with Canadian Ambassador to Austria/UN in Vienna Troy Lulashnyk. It was a surreal day.

14/03/2024

At the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna

11/03/2024

The pictures don’t do it justice, but I have an epic skyline view of Vienna with the mountains off in the distance from my room for the next two weeks.

Although I’ve worked harder than anyone will ever know to get to this point, never for a moment do I not appreciate how privileged I am to have the surreal experiences that life has brought me. It’s been far beyond anything that was in the realm of possibility when I use to dream of the possibilities of what life could be like while I was on the bus ride home from the methadone clinic and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

08/03/2024

Finding Community Solutions | Nathan Gardner | Episode 4

I want to give a special thank you to my colleague Nathan Gardner for sitting down with me and sharing his knowledge, experience and wisdom from working as the Executive Director at Back Door Mission. The remarkable they do in the City of Oshawa for our most vulnerable cannot be understated. We’re lucky to have such dedicated and passionate individuals working to solve complex problems.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

29/02/2024

Compassion In The Methadone Clinic | Kim Wazny | Surviving Addiction | Episode 3

Kim was one of the first people I encountered at the methadone clinic when I was down and out, as well as one of the last people I spoke with at the clinic once I finished the program. Her compassion, grace and poise she demonstrated has been an example I have tried to emulate throughout my career.

I cannot thank her enough for the work she’s done, the example she’s set and for taking the time to sit down and interview for the series. She has my deepest respect and admiration.

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

27/02/2024

Wonderful meeting and chat with our Canadian Federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks today!

08/02/2024

Had the privilege of being a guest on The Opioid Matrix Podcast with retired DEA Agent Michael Brown. It was really interesting hearing his perspective, not only in the podcast but also with chatting through the process leading up to the recording.

Thank you so much to Michael and Jen for inviting me to come on!

Full episode in the link below 👇
https://hubs.li/Q02kms3N0n

08/02/2024

🎧 NEW EPISODE ALERT

🎙️ "To anyone out there with a loved one who's struggling, don't ever give up compassion because it's not a moral failing; your loved one simply doesn't know how to handle what's going on in their life."

In this powerful and inspiring episode, Cull, Founder of Inspire By Example, dives deep into the challenges of addressing substance abuse, the impact of the in , and the crucial role of authentic and relatable communication in prevention efforts. Chris, a former opioid user turned inspirational figure, shares his journey throughout and that ultimately led to his journey across Canada. His story of resilience offers hope in the fight against addiction.

Tune in for an insightful discussion on tackling addiction, and the resilience that arises from difficult experiences.

Join us as we discuss:

*Chris' story, highlighting his successful transition from drug use
*Addressing substance abuse among youth
*The opioid crisis in Canada: overprescribing, drug diversion, and the involvement of cartels
*The significance of advocacy, collaboration, and hope in addressing addiction, drug abuse, and health

👉 Listen to the full episode with W. Brown here: https://hubs.li/Q02kms3N0

22/12/2023

Surviving Addiction Episode 2 with my wonderful colleague Dr. Sajida Afridi is now live!

Episode 2 shares the journey of Dr. Sajida Afridi who is a physician who specializes in addiction medicine. Growing up in Pakistan, her exposure to seeing preventable deaths inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. During her residency in Canada, a chance encounter with someone struggling with a substance use disorder and the stigma she observed towards them led her to focus her career in addiction medicine.

Dr. Afridi is a Public Health Preventive Medicine and Addiction Medicine Specialist. After completing her residency at University of Ottawa, she has provided addiction medicine treatment services first in Alberta for 7 years and now serving Ontario.She has worked across all health care settings in Ontario & remains determined for the provision of timely and equitable substance use disorder services across the continuum of care. Currently, she is providing addiction medicine services in Oshawa, ON for a broad range of substance use disorders. She is an assistant professor at Queens University and actively teaches residents/medical students. Additionally she provides expertise for the improvement of substance use disorder services to Durham Region Opioid task force and Ontario Health Team. Lastly, she is a passionate advocate for harm reduction, equitable and non-stigmatized care for people who use substances.

Please like, share and subscribe!

WARNING - This video series discusses mental health, addiction, substance use and su***de among other challenging topics. Some viewers may find the content e...

20/12/2023

Importance of Purpose | Surviving Addiction Clip | Episode 1

Link to channel with clips and episodes below 👇
https://youtube.com/?si=lWawgf-VC1wgvKZ1

Episode 2 out Friday!

18/12/2023

Biggest Regret | Surviving Addiction Clip | Episode 1

Link to full episode below 👇
https://youtu.be/3ug0VZdEIpQ?si=zGkiFmXee2j_rqs3

Episode 2 coming Friday Dec 22nd!

11/12/2023

My biggest thank you to the The Social Impact Hub at Durham College for for being the engine that helped me drive the vision! I’m forever grateful for students dedication and the hub believing in the vision when it was just idea.

Like anything else in my life, I’ve always been fortunate to have great people around me to help me push forward and I can’t thank the SIH enough.

Durham College’s (DC) Social Impact Hub has partnered with DC alumnus, Chris Cull, to launch his docuseries, Surviving Addiction, which shares different perspectives of those touched by addiction and…

03/12/2023

It’s been a journey. The release of Surviving Addiction was difficult but a relief. It felt oddly similar to the very first time I shared my story publicly for the first time 10 years ago. There’s a nervousness that comes with putting something out where you lay it all on line, both with sharing deeply personal details and putting everything you have into a project. It’s easily the deepest I have ever went in sharing the reality of the events leading up to my downward spiral and what my life and mental health were like during my 8.5 years opioid addiction.

However, it also gave me an opportunity to share how I got off opioids, some invaluable life lessons that have helped me along the way and hopefully show others the possibilities of what can come of it all.

Between starting a position working frontline mental health and addiction care an a busy Emergency Department and creating a film project from scratch, this year has been the biggest year of growth I’ve had since I did my first ride across Canada without question.

Don’t know where this will all lead but I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and see where it goes.

Surviving Addiction - Episode 1: https://youtu.be/3ug0VZdEIpQ?si=3pt4pZ4Rh3RTcfEK

Excited for the future!

01/12/2023

Beyond excited to share that the Surviving Addiction premiere episode is now live!

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whether it’s the healthcare professional, community leader, family member or the person who has lived with a substance use disorder, addiction impacts the lives of everyone it touches. In this series, we learn of the humanity of those that addiction has touched and the profound lessons learned through their experiences.

My deepest thank you to everyone who contributed to making this dream into a reality.

Please like, share, comment and subscribe!

Excited for the future!

Chris Cull is a two-time cross Canada Cyclist, Motivational Speaker, Founder of Inspire By Example, Creator of Surviving Addiction and a recovering opioid us...

30/11/2023

Back in the studio last night with Ali Catniss. My heartfelt thank you to her for coming back in and sharing her experiences as an addiction counsellor working in Toronto with the cities most vulnerable. The realities of the field we work in can be dark but also beautiful and inspiring it is when you see someone back from insurmountable circumstances against the odds.

Surviving Addiction premieres tomorrow!

Link below 👇
https://youtube.com/?si=67-ExVWaJQzY-h6J

Excited for the future!

24/11/2023

Surviving Addiction premiering Friday December 1st!

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whether it's the healthcare professional, community leader, family member or the person who has lived with a substance use disorder, addiction impacts the lives of everyone it touches. In this series, we learn of the humanity of those that addiction has touched and the profound lessons learned through their experiences.

Please like, share and subscribe!

Excited for the future!

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whe...

12/10/2023

New trailer for my series “Surviving Addiction”

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whether it's the healthcare professional, community leader, family member or the person who has lived with a substance use disorder, addiction impacts the lives of everyone it touches. In this series, we learn of the humanity of those that addiction has touched and the profound lessons learned through their experiences.

Premiere will be at the CSAM Conference, followed by the public release shortly after.

Excited for the future!

15/09/2023

Had an amazing time today delivering the keynote speech at the Ignite Addiction Summit. Great way to end a productive week.

Back to editing this weekend.

13/09/2023

2013 vs 2023

2013: 140 lbs, malnourished, on methadone, in my first training session to fulfil a dream of riding a bike across Canada and filming a documentary with zero experience in film and not having rode a bike in the better part of a decade.

vs

2023: Two cross-Canada rides down, about to premiere my new interview film series at a national medical conference and working frontline mental health and addiction care in a busy emergency department where I was a patient at one of my lowest moments.

Lesson: You’d be surprised at how far you can go from a point you thought was the end. Although some circumstances seem insurmountable, great leaps are made through small steps and if you focus on being a better version than you were yesterday, you will inevitably grow into the person you aspire to be. Just take it one day at time and keep moving forward.

07/09/2023

The editing marathon continues.

I’ve been dreading editing my interview. The discomfort of watching yourself on screen reduces, but never goes away lol.

Onward and upward.

31/08/2023

New logo for my series

Surviving Addiction is an interview series that highlights the real people who are impacted by addiction and the lenses which they experience it through. Whether it's the healthcare professional, community leader, family member or the person who has lived with a substance use disorder, addiction impacts the lives of everyone it touches. In this series, we learn of the humanity of those that addiction has touched and the profound lessons learned through their experiences.

Excited for the future!

29/08/2023

9 years ago yesterday. Didn’t know what or if anything would come after this, but I have been privileged to lead a life and experience things I never dreamed possible ever since.