On September 30, 2024, we lost one of our own: Stephanie Klipp. Steph was the epitome of what a harm reductionist should be. She was kind, empathetic, relatable, an attentive listener, and a gifted healthcare professional. She was a nurse with Prevention Point Philadelphia, helping people with substance use disorder make well-informed decisions about their health.
Steph’s wife Deanna wrote the following in her memory: "Steph was able to leverage her lived experience to connect deeply and authentically with others. She wanted to be the antidote to the stigma and harm she watched the health system propagate. She advocated both within and outside the healthcare system in a multitude of ways: serving on multiple boards, volunteering with local advocacy organizations, teaching her peers at professional conferences, and supporting the community at countless events. She was known for her passion for evidence-based care, her calm and competent manner, and her kindness to her co-workers and her patients.”
Steph is held close in the hearts of the Prevention Point community and beyond.
“We are a very small team, and Steph quickly became like family and one of my closest friends. She was so special, and I miss her every single day,” says Brooke Roche, lead case manager.
“Having to summarize Steph and this feeling into a short quote is impossible. She quickly became like family and was like a sister to Brooke and me. Her absence is felt every single day,” says Maggie Hatala, case manager. “We had the honor of watching her work, fiercely advocating and defending every one of the people she served. We will never stop saying her name.”
Stephanie is survived by her wife, Deanna Wilson; her son Elliott; her parents Nancy Smith and Stephen Klipp, her siblings (Matt, Ryan, Khalid, and Tala); her stepmom Denise and stepsister Shelby, and several aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a multitude of friends. Read her complete obituary here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/collingswood-nj/stephanie-klipp-12023658
