My sister, Teresa’s story: Human Rights Should Be For Everybody

by Franke James

Teresa Pocock is my 49-year old sister. She has Down syndrome and she is now living with me and my husband Billiam James.

Forced into a Nursing Home at age 49

But on November 27, 2013, at the young age of 49, Teresa was forced into a nursing home against her wishes and against the wishes of my father. It’s a harrowing story which I presented to the Select Committee on Developmental Services at the Ontario Government. You can see the visual story here: Teresa’s story: Crisis, Capacity and Courage

Petition for an Apology

On World Down Syndrome Day, March 21st, we launched a petition asking the CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) and the Rekai Center to apologize for the harm they caused Teresa. Specifically Teresa asked the CCAC to apologize for improperly taking away her human right to decide where she lives. She asked the Rekai Centre to apologize for calling the police to force her back into their long-term care home.

Watch Teresa’s petition video:

CCAC Apologizes

Two days later, on March 23, Stacey Daub, the CEO of the Toronto CCAC responded to the petition and offered her apology. Teresa called it “beautiful”. See: Toronto Central CCAC Apologizes to Teresa

Rekai Centre Ignores Teresa’s Request

However, the Rekai Centre has still not apologized. The Rekai Centre CEO, Mary Hoare, has not responded in any way to Teresa’s petition. Are they trying to ignore Teresa? Hoping that the problem will just go away?

Teresa’s human rights should never have been disabled.

That is why we need more people to sign her petition, and demand an apology from the Rekai Centre.