As a teenager, Jade Lewis was a promising young athlete, winning a number of medals internationally. At just 14, she was named Athlete of the Year, and her athletic records are unbeaten, even to this day. She had the whole world at her feet - but that was all about to change.

Going to a rave one night was intended to be a bit of fun; but the lure of drugs was too strong, and Jade gave into temptation. She promised herself she wouldn’t get addicted - a promise she couldn’t keep. Heroin addiction, a criminal record and an unstable relationship followed. Jade’s life had changed virtually overnight, and her dreams of competing in the Olympics, were crushed in an instant.

Nobody believed that Jade could get herself out of the deep, dark hole she had found herself in. Her self-esteem was low as a result of her destructive lifestyle, and people told her that she “was hopeless,” and that “she would never amount to anything.” Desperate to prove those people wrong, Jade entered the Teen Challenge WA program in 1999, and she never looked back.

She now has a new way of life, and confidence that cannot be put into words. Jade uses the mistakes she made to motivate thousands of people, teaching them to live lives of freedom and success.  She has written a number of books including Golden Haze, her personal story of freedom from drug addiction.

Jade Lewis is an inspirational woman, changing the way people approach their lives, teaching us that we can change for the better. Her induction into the International Women’s Day WA Hall of Fame is a great achievement, one she truly deserves.