FRANKE JAMES

Rock On! Teresa Power Walks for her Freedom

by Franke James

Watch this fun new music video of Teresa Heartchild ‘power walking’

And ask yourself how anyone could think she belongs in a nursing home!
It is crazy! Who would deny Teresa her freedom?

The pressure is building for a full, transparent investigation.

You can help by sharing the music video and asking your friends to sign Teresa’s petition at Change.org:
Forced into LongTerm Care at 49, my sister with Down syndrome wants apology:
www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/forced-into-longterm-care-at-49-my-sister-with-down-syndrome-wants-apology

Teresa’s Petition To:
Stacey Daub, CEO, The CCAC-Toronto
Mary Hoare, CEO, The Rekai Centre
Dear Ms. Daub and Ms. Hoare,

Over 600 people, 9 MPPs, and countless Toronto Star readers, are now watching how you handle this crisis — and the numbers demanding an apology are growing everyday.

On March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day, Teresa Heartchild launched her petition on Change.org demanding an apology from you for the harm your organizations have caused her.

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People who hear of Teresa’s story are outraged…
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“I am disabled and don’t want the same to happen to me.” Sam Duerden

“As a parent of a child with DS, this is abhorrent.” Nick Disney

“My cousin has Downs and I would never want this to happen to him!” Ingrid Sheriff

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The Toronto Central CCAC apologized for their part…
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We appreciate the fact that Ms. Daub, CEO of the Toronto Central CCAC, apologized to Teresa within 48 hours of the petition’s launch. Ms. Daub wrote, “I apologize for any part the Toronto Central CCAC contributed to this.”

Then on April 4th, Teresa received the official news that the CCAC has launched a “comprehensive” investigation into her case. This is the type of leadership we expect. All organizations make mistakes, but the smart ones know that owning up to those mistakes, and identifying what went wrong, is the way to prevent them from happening again in the future.

Unfortunately, the silence by you, Ms. Hoare, and the Rekai Centre is deafening.

On January 21st, Teresa’s sister, Franke James, presented testimony about Teresa’s harrowing experience to the Ontario Government’s Select Committee on Developmental Services. Christine Elliott, the Vice-Chair said, “Thank you very much, Ms. James. I think I can speak for all of us on the committee when I say that this is a truly shocking story that you have told us today. I’m so sorry that you and Teresa and your family have had to go through this.”

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People are shocked at what was done to Teresa
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People are shocked. But there appears to be NO accountability for any of the wrongs done to Teresa.

Teresa’s profile was riddled with false information which pushed her to the top of the crisis list, and made her appear to qualify for a nursing home. (If someone lies on a health insurance form, all hell breaks loose. What are the penalties for providing false information for the crisis list? It appears there are none.)

Here are four questions we want the CCAC to answer…

  1. Why did the CCAC not follow its policy to protect and uphold the human rights of its client, Teresa? The CCAC records show that she was forced against her will, and against her father’s wishes, into the Rekai Centre.
  2. CCAC records state that Teresa’s father was adamant that Teresa not go into a nursing home, and that he would sue if you tried. Why did the CCAC counsel Teresa’s siblings how to take away her father’s rights as the primary caregiver for Teresa?
  3. The CCAC records show that the CCAC ignored what Teresa wanted — and assumed her assertions about her own independence were false. Why?
  4. The CCAC records show that the CCAC ignored Franke James’ offer to take Teresa into her home. And continued to insist on Teresa’s placement in the Rekai Centre. Why?

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The Rekai Centre has some explaining to do…
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Ms. Hoare, Teresa Heartchild (Pocock) is waiting for your public apology. The Rekai Centre has some explaining to do…

  1. Why did the Rekai Centre call the police reporting Teresa as a ‘missing person’ four days after she was legally discharged?
  2. Why have the Rekai Centre emails and records concerning the police call not been released? Why are they being kept secret?
  3. Conflict of interest: Did the fact that Teresa has a relative on the Rekai Centre Board of Directors influence her placement? Did this conflict of interest influence your decision to call the police to force Teresa back into your nursing home?
  4. The CCAC records show that Teresa’s siblings called you directly on several occasions. This was considered “unorthodox” by the CCAC and raised alarm bells which took the matter further up their chain for review. Did the CCAC know about the conflict of interest?

These are just four of the disturbing questions we need answered.

It’s time for the Rekai Centre to explain its actions in full and publicly apologize to Teresa. Your failure to respond is creating even more turmoil in Teresa’s life and making the situation even worse.

Vimeo:

Teresa Power Walks: Forced into a Nursing Home at 49. Now She’s Free! from Franke James on Vimeo.

Visit TeresaHeartchild.com

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