For Kathy Travis, the reminders come quietly but often. For instance, the emails still addressed to her late friend and Winning The Fight founder, Kathy O’Keefe, that now land in her inbox. And the photo in her office that she can’t help but glance at.
It’s been five months since O’Keefe—an inspiration to so many in her fight against drug addiction—lost her battle to liver cancer. She was 68.
For those O’Keefe left behind, the loss still feels all too fresh. And yet, her confident and unwavering resolve lives on in the hearts of those who loved her and can’t imagine not continuing the mission she started 13 years ago.
“I miss her greatly—I look up at that picture and think,’Kathy … where are you?'” Travis said. She joined O’Keefe at Winning The Fight in 2016. Both lost a child to drug overdoses and have shared a sisterly bond ever since. “It was shocking, but we knew we had to keep going. Kathy wouldn’t want it any other way. I promised her husband, Ben, and son, Kyle, that I wouldn’t let anything happen to WTF.”
She added, “I didn’t start this, but it’s my passion, too, and we will keep going. We will keep fighting.”
Since its inception in 2012, the local non-profit Winning The Fight has spearheaded drug education to area youth, their families, and communities near and far to ensure everyone has the necessary support and resources for those suffering from the disease of addiction. That includes people like O’Keefe and Travis standing in front of large assemblies of middle and high school kids to talk about the dangers of doing drugs. They’ve worked one-on-one with grieving parents and partnered with law enforcement and other organizations to raise awareness. For her efforts, O’Keefe received the Flower Mound Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 2016.
She also attended a White House Opioids Summit in 2018.
According to the organization’s most recent statistics, they provided counsel to 290 families in 2023, of which 201 were new. They also provided 209 referrals for therapists, treatment facilities, IOP, and more. Winning The Fight’s documentary, “Just Once,” was shown to 7,489 people that year, and 20,934 people received drug education.
They now have four documentaries that they use for educational purposes. “Not Me” continues to be shown in schools and churches, and the Flower Mound Municipal Court has used the program for many who face charges for drugs and paraphernalia.
The ongoing drug overdose epidemic kills over 100,000 people annually. In recent years, many of the talks mentioned above have centered on Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is reportedly 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It was initially developed for pain management treatment for cancer patients, anesthesia, etc., but has now made its way into the illicit drug world disguised as legitimate prescription drugs, other illegal drugs, and even candy. O’Keefe and Travis have always stressed that the people affected by drug addiction aren’t always psychologically disturbed, junkies, or criminals. They are normal people—including innocent children—from very normal families. State and federal officials echo those sentiments and are warning families that fentanyl use, overdoses, and deaths are in every suburb, HOA, gated community, and school bathroom.
“Kathy and I have spoken together at many assemblies. People called us ‘Kathy Squared’ because if she couldn’t go, I’d always be there,” Travis said. “It’s too soon to tell how border policies are impacting the amount of drugs coming across the border, but there has been a slight decline in Fentanyl overdoses due to the strong push in 2024 and the DEA and all law enforcement agencies working together to fight the battle of drugs coming over our border. That said, the DEA is still warning people about illegal online pharmacies. You think it’s Xanax or Adderall, but it’s not. If you sell or help sell drugs, you can be charged with a felony if a person dies.”
As for the future of Winning The Fight, Travis insists that they are as strong and committed as ever.
Over the past several months, Ben O’Keefe has been added to the organization’s board of directors. He and his wife co-founded the non-profit shortly after their 18-year-old son Brett died from an accidental drug overdose. While Kathy O’Keefe quickly became the face of the organization and executive director, Ben was always involved behind the scenes and has already taken on a more prominent role.
Travis is also excited to announce the additions of Paige Furin and Haley Smithwick. Smithwick is the new part-time administrative assistant. Furin was hired as the director of programs before O’Keefe passed away. She discovered her passion and purpose in helping others overcome substance use challenges after finding sobriety in November 2018. She is heavily involved with speaking at local schools and overseeing the organization’s documentaries, sponsorships, and events. In fact, she just recently talked to almost 900 9th-graders at Marcus High School and is promoting their Winning Strides Derby on May 8.
“It has been hard without Kathy here, and you wonder how you can grieve and still keep something like this going simultaneously,” Travis said. “But we’ve made a lot of adjustments, including building stronger relationships with the Denton County courts and keeping all the great things happening behind the scenes going. That’s what keeps me going—the fight. Every time I talk to someone—I don’t care if it’s just two people who show up—we go in thinking that we will save a life. We’ll keep fighting every single day.”
To learn more about Winning The Fight and the Winning Strides Derby fundraiser, visit wtf-winningthefight.org.
WEB: The Winning Strides Derby fundraiser is slated for 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on May 8 at Sparrow on Main in Lewisville. Ticket prices can be found here.
