An award-winning journalist with a history of personal addiction and recovery will bring his story to an upcoming Foundation of FirstHealth event.

The Promise of Hope Lecture featuring William Cope Moyers will be held Thursday at Sandhills Community College. Registration will begin at 5 p.m., and the program, titled "Unmask the Stigma: A Revealing Insight into Addiction," will follow from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Owens Auditorium.

Now the vice president of Foundation Relations for Hazelden, a national nonprofit that helps people reclaim their lives from addiction, Moyers will use his personal experiences to discuss the power of addiction and the power of recovery. He has a compelling story to share.

"Mr. Moyers brings a deep understanding and strong personal commitment to recovery," says Jean Souweine, founding member of the Promise of Hope Lecture Series. "When we endowed the lecture series, my wife Mary Jane and I wanted to empower the Foundation of FirstHealth to bring expert, nationally renowned speakers to our community. It is an honor to have this author, who reaches thousands of people each year as he shares his personal experiences with the perils of addiction and the power of recovery."

Before joining Hazelden in 1996, Moyers had been a journalist for 15 years, working for CNN, Newsday and various other media outlets throughout the country.

A 1981 journalism graduate of Washington and Lee University, he had a unique perspective on his profession as the son of Bill Moyers, a veteran commentator, Lyndon Johnson's presidential press secretary and Public Television personality.

But addiction and recovery changed the direction of the junior Moyers' life as he noted, as follows, in a commentary called "Voices for Recovery Muffled without Congressional Action, Presidential Support":

"Physically exhausted, drained emotionally and teetering on the edge of financial bankruptcy, I somehow made it out of a New York City crack house in 1989 and into a drug treatment center in Minnesota. After a decade of using and abusing cocaine, alcohol and other drugs, I was in trouble and needed professional help.

"Help is what I got. And ever since, I've learned that opportunity comes from adversity. Today I hold a job, pay taxes, raise a family, vote and obey the law."

Moyers found help at Hazelden, one of the largest not-for-profit alcohol and drug addiction treatment centers in the world. Hazelden's chief medical officer, Dr. Marvin D. Seppala, has this to say about Moyers: "William Cope Moyers is the nation's foremost voice for recovery from addiction. He uses his own story of recovery to educate and to provide a real sense of hope to anyone dealing with addiction."

The author of the bestselling memoir "Broken," Moyers has produced a journal and DVD set, titled "A New Day A New Life," designed specifically for those in early recovery. He has also appeared on "Larry King Live," "Today," "Good Morning America" and "Oprah."

Moyers' work has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Newsweek magazine. He also writes "Beyond Addiction," a nationally syndicated column on addiction and recovery-related issues for Creators Syndicate.

The Promise of Hope Series is made possible through an endowed fund supporting education for the community -- providing hope and inspiration for those experiencing a terminal or chronic illness. In addition, the Behavioral CARE Fund of the Moore Regional Hospital Foundation provides support for patients and their families undergoing treatment and addiction therapies at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. The Sept. 24 Promise of Hope Lecture Series program is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call the Foundation of FirstHealth at 695-7510.