U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (second from left) and Harbor Care CEO Hentry Och (far left) joined the organization's Board of Directors on Aug. 8 to celebrate the reopening of the Cynthia Day Family Center on Amherst Street. Telegraph photo by Christopher Roberson

NASHUA – Harbor Care Health & Wellness recently announced the completion of the extensive renovation project at the Cynthia Day Family Center on Amherst Street.

Exclusively for women and children afflicted by substance abuse, the center has added 30 beds which will increase its capacity by 60 percent.

During the ribbon-cutting event on Aug. 8, Danielle Walsh-Sylvester spoke about how the center changed her life.

Originally from South Boston, Walsh-Sylvester said she was always known to push boundaries and go to the extreme.

“The drinking and clubbing really got out of control,” she said, adding that she found out she was pregnant nine days after her 16th birthday.

As the downward spiral continued to worsen, Walsh-Sylvester told her parents that she needed to be at a treatment facility.

“I thought it was going to be for a few days and it ended up being 11 years,” she said.

With her son in foster care, Walsh-Sylvester suffered a relapse while she was pregnant with her fourth child. At that point, she knew it was time to make a decisive change.

“That was when I finally made it over here to Cynthia Day,” she said.

Unlike the other treatment facilities, the staff at the center held Walsh-Sylvester accountable for her actions and pushed her to act responsibly — neither of which came easily.

“I had to work really hard to get everything back in order,” she said. “I didn’t want another grown-up telling me what to do.”

While it took time, Walsh-Sylvester said her life ultimately changed for the better. She is now an outreach specialist at Harbor Care and has been sober for five years.

“I want to help other women,” she said, adding that the center will now provide more resources. “Everything is going to be here in one spot.”

U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan D-NH said the renovation is another step in helping New Hampshire overcome addiction, homelessness and mental health problems.

“Today is a really good day for New Hampshire’s families, people who need help won’t fall through the cracks,” she said.

Hassan also said the benefits of the project represent the hard-working spirit of the Granite State.

“When we see a problem, we don’t sit idly by and wait for someone else to fix it,” she said.

Harbor Care CEO Henry Och said he was pleased that the project was completed on time and on budget.

“It’s what our clients deserve,” he said.