Denise Bozich of North Bend knows what struggling with an enemy you can’t see feels like.

She is fighting her second bout with cancer after defeating it once before in 2000, and she hopes her own experience – and her faith – can help others fighting unseen enemies as she starts up an Alcoholics Victorious group at her church.

“There are programs that address addictions but not the attitudes and behaviors that lead to it,” Bozich said. “This program looks at those attitudes and behaviors in light of the Bible.”

Bozich has been involved in various drug and alcohol prevention programs for the past 19 years, helping facilitate groups and organize assemblies and seminars.

When she saw that fellow Christians were having trouble accepting their addiction problems, she decided to introduce Alcoholics Victorious to her own church, Shiloh Life Fellowship in North Bend.

“There are a lot of shame and guilt issues associated with addiction and our pride stops us from acknowledging them,” she said. “This creates a safe place for people where they will not be judged.”

Alcoholics Victorious was founded in 1948 by William Seath. Seath admired the Alcoholics Anonymous model for treating alcoholism but wanted a program that focused on Jesus Christ as the “higher power” described in the AA 12-step program.

“It gives people who want the focus to be on Christ and the Bible an opportunity to come and see how their faith can help their addictions,” Bozich said.

Bozich responded to the program and is now heading up the group. The strength her faith has given her while she fights cancer has been a way to help others cope with the struggles they seem to have no control over.

“I know I wouldn’t be here without my faith, it wouldn’t let me be defeated,” Bozich said. “I was always encouraged by people who had faith, so I hope they can be encouraged by this.”

Since the meetings have started, Bozich said attendance has been good. She said most people who attend substance-abuse meetings usually come in and out a few times before they decide whether they want to stay.

The program is faith-based, but Bozich said it is open to anyone and everyone. The meetings have attracted people from different religious backgrounds and beliefs. Bozich said she does hope people can get the kind of hope that she has, but does not want to force anything on anyone.

“I don’t want people to be afraid of believing in God,” Bozich said. “I think it [belief in God] would help them stay sober.”

Alcoholics Victorious meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Shiloh Life Fellowship Church, 316 N.E. Eighth St. in North Bend.