Book details life on the edge

By Bridget Cook
DESPITE a happy and loving start to life, Kerryn Redpath’s life took a destructive path which eventually led to an addiction to heroin.
The Narre Warren South resident’s life spiralled out of control when what she thought was “a bit of fun” in her teenage years led to addiction.
Her habit landed her in The Alfred hospital, with doctors predicting she had less than two hours to live due to heart and kidney failure – a result of complications from a drug-related disease, hepatitis B.
Ms Redpath miraculously survived and has now written a book in an attempt to prevent young people from going down the same path as she did.
She will launch her book ‘Out of the Darkness’ this month at the Old Cheese Factory, with a number of guest speakers.
“If just one person and one family doesn’t have to go through what my family and I did then the book will be worth it,” Ms Redpath said.
“Making all of this public is not easy for me because I’m not proud of my past but I am hoping to reach people.”
Ms Redpath said her book describes the scenes she witnesses as she fell deeply into the drug scene – doing heroin at least three times a week, experienced many overdoses, and drug and alcohol fuelled fights.
At the age of 25, she was diagnosed with hepatitis B.
Six months after the diagnosis, she became gravely ill and was referred to a specialist at The Alfred.
“The specialist quickly diagnosed heart and kidney failure and at that point gave me less than two hours to live,” she said.
She survived and spent the next five months in hospital recovering.
Despite doctors saying it was not possible, Ms Redpath gave birth to three children after her recovery.
In the midst of her struggles, she found a faith in God and embarked on a spiritual journey which changed the direction of her life forever.
Ms Redpath said her faith was one of the reasons that drove her to write her book this year.
“My wish is also that some may come to see the hope and the purpose my faith in God has brought to my life,” she said.
But her foremost aim for writing her book is to help prevent others going down the same path.
“I know you can’t just say to them (young people) don’t do it, but what I want to say is this is what can go wrong,” she said.
The launch will be held on Friday 16 July, at 7pm.
For details and to RSVP visit www.kerryn-redpath.net.
For Kerryn’s full story, pick up a copy of the Pakenham-Berwick Gazette.