[FEAT BC Admin]

This area is for discussions in general topics.

Topic

[Jenn Ralph]

My husband and I need to make a will. We have several questions to those who have already done so, for example:

1. Can you recommend a lawyer who is knowledgeable of autism issues, ABA programs, and everything that goes along with it?

2. Have you all made relatives guardians, or have any of you designated other parents who are running ABA programs?

3. Does anyone have a "microboard", and are these for the purpose of including in a will?

Please post or email me directly with any advice or information you may have.
Much appreciated,
Jenn
Jennifer.r@shaw.ca
Cell – 604 812-4341

[Mike & Jean]

ATtention all FEAT listers who live in the Federal Electoral Districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast.

The results of our "Medicare for Autism NOw!" initiative in these two ridings are as follows:

YES:
Blair Wilson Liberal, West Vancouver Sunshine-Coast
Don Bell, Liberal, North Vancouver

NO:
John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver Sunshine-Coast
Judith Wilson, NDP, West Vancouver Sunshine-Coast
Cindy Silver, Conservative, North Vancouver

DON'T CARE:
Sherry Shaghagi, NDP, North Vancouver

To be clear, the candidates in the YES column committed to active, unqualified support to the passage of legislation that would ammend the Canada Health Act as proposed in Bill C-459 introduced on November 28, 2005.

The candidates in the NO column, unanimously "felt our pain" but would not break with their party's policy.

The candidate in the DON'T CARE column, didn't respond to several attempts to meet and a variety of emails requesting a response.

The above results will be printed in the North Shore News on Sunday, January 15th. The Squamish Chief, The Whistler Question, The Powell River Peak and The Sunshine Coaster starting Jan. 18, 19 and 20.

Please make sure all your friends and family living in these two ridings are made aware of how these candidates chose and encourage them to support the candidate who committed to actively supporting legislation to include our childrens medically necessary treatment into Medicare.

I will be posting an email version of the ad on this board within a couple of days, which can used by you to send to your own distribution lists.

On a related matter: It is extremely important now for FEAT members to attend the All Candidates meetings. Thankyou to those who have already attended in Surrey, Langley, Roberts Creek etc. Following is a list of All Candidates Meetings for West Vancouver Sunshine-Coast:

Friday, Jan. 13th 7:00 p.m. Kay Meek Centre, West Vancouver, B.C.

Sunday, Jan. 15th 7:00 p.m. West Vancouver Memorial Library, West Vancouver

Monday, Jan. 16th 7:00 p.m. Evergreen Theatre, Powell River

Wednesday, Jan. 18th 7:00 p.m. Sea-to-Sky Hotel, Squamish

Thursday, Jan. 19th 6:00 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Whistler

We need to fill these meetings! Our initiative has the potential to actually decide the outcome of the election in these particular ridings.
It's time to get out and show them who we are!

I don't have a list of the All Candidates meetings for North Vancouver. I would appreciate it if someone living in North Vancouver could find out and post them here.

People living in West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast who maybe unclear of what to ask at an All Candidates Meeting can contact me directly at jean.lewis@telus.net

Come on everyone – let's go!

Jean

[Deleted User]

I spoke with our wonderful "registrar" today and she informed me that there will be drop in spaces available for those who have not yet registered but still wish to attend.

Theresa and I feel that given the space we have rented we should be able to accomodate all who register on site on saturday.

Just a quick addition: registration for the intermediate workshop is filling quickly. We have not always been able to accomodate drop ins for this workshop so please do register early if you wish to attend.

[Mike & Jean]

Calling all parents who live in the Squamish, Whistler, the lower Sunshine Coast (Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek) and Powell River. Please contact me •••.a.p. at jean.lewis@telus.net

We need your help!

Thanks,
Jean

[Theresa Jouan]

Hi Geeta-

The link for the application for the BASIC THEORY workshop (Jan 14th) is:
http://www.featbc.org/downloads/abtw.pdf

The link for the INTERMEDIATE workshop is:
http://www.featbc.org/downloads/ibtw.pdf

Hope to see you there!

Theresa Tournemille
Feat of BC Workshop Instructor

[Geeta Jain]

Hi,
Can anyone give us the link of Jan 14th workshop?

[Deleted User]

Just a reminder,

Spaces are filling quickly for the FEAT of BC basic workshop on January 14th. If you are planning to attend but have not yet registered, please download a registration form and contact FEAT of BC immediately to reserve your space.

I will post closer to the workshop date as to whether there will be drop in spaces available. Our workshop numbers are purposefully kept low to allow for quality of interaction so we can not always accomodate drop ins.

Michelle Karren
FEAT of BC Workshop Instructor

[Geeta Jain]

Statistically, 1 out of 160 newborn could have ASD. Assuming there are 2 kids a family has on average, 1 out of 80 families will have the shadow of autism directly. That means more than 1% of families or 3 million Canadians. If pressure on the families is not eased by required funding provisions, We can't use our maximum potential to generate income for ourselves and hence taxes for Canada. Thats a great loss to the country. Plus our kids potential won't allow to do the same in future, if we are under funded. Rather govt. will end up paying more to them. Our politicians need to understand that "A stich in time saves nine".

[Jacqueline and Dennis Bell]

Barbara ..you made me cry. I hope with time I will get more strenght.

Have you ever tryed to send it to a newspaper? or media?

Could you email me? I'd like to talk about your "Imagine".

Jacquline
jmrbell@telus.net

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Hi again:

I was asked to write this awhile ago and thought I would share it with you. I think people that do 'get' it need to realize that this could happen to them – to their children or their grandchildren.

IMAGINE

If I may take a moment of your time to give you a glimpse into the lives of a family with a child with autism in Canada.

Imagine if you will – a young boy of 3 – as he is screaming, raging and banging his fists on his head – able to talk but not knowing how – and in the midst of one of these outbursts, your eyes connect with his . . . and at that moment you see that his eyes, full of tears, are screaming, pleading, begging . . . for you to help him, to understand him . . . a cry for help so strong, you can almost hear the words.

This child is on a wait-list for autism treatment – his parents are told it may be a year or more – and then he will not get the medically required 40 hours a week but only 10.

Imagine if you will – a young girl – she turned 6-years-old 5 months ago. She had been in an ABA program for 2 years and had made remarkable progress. Her doctors and Consultants warned against reducing treatment as she would most likely regress at this age. Her parents could not afford to continue to pay for her treatment privately – they had exhausted all of their funds. The young girl has started to regress – 2 years ago she used to sit and pull her hair out – this stopped during treatment. Can you see her sitting in her room – she is just off to the side – and yes that is a bald spot on her head.

The Government cuts off ABA treatment for Autistic children at the age of 6

Imagine if you will – a 16-year-old boy – he is struggling at the door of his home as he and his suitcase are being removed. The social worker and 2 care-aides are taking him out. He doesn’t understand – he is wailing – he doesn’t know what he has done wrong. His parents had no choice – their son never received ABA treatment and has now entered puberty and has become violent with both of them and at school – they can no longer manage him at home- he has been expelled from every school – he must be sent to a group home in the United States – there are no adequate facilities here in Canada for him. Do you see his parents staring out the window after him – can you see the tears rolling down their faces – as their only child is being taken away.

Now imagine if you will . . . that this were your child or your grandchild.

Barbara Rodrigues

[Author]

Replies