Hi there! My name is Randy. Ever since I can remember, I have been dreaming of getting my
own apartment. Well, here I am, in my own place, sharing it with my wife Maura. Before living
here, I spent seven years in a chronic care institution. That's where I met my wife. She was
working there as a volunteer. We fell in love after only a few encounters.
We were in a desperate situation, with me living in an institution and her living in the community it
made things very difficult. We dreamed of living together in the privacy of our own home. We
decided to see if it would be possible for me to move out of the hospital. After making a few
inquiries, we found out that there were only a few organizations in Ottawa whose mandate was to
give 24-hour care to clients with a physical disability. Because of limited resources, I was told
that there was a long waiting list and that it would probably take a couple of years before there
was an opening for me to get my own place.
Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long. As a matter of fact, I was caught by surprise. I never
thought that I would be moving so fast. I was only on the waiting list about a year, when I got a
call from Personal Choice Independent Living. I was not really prepared; my biggest hurdle was
that I needed to have a special type of equipment called an environmental control unit. Due to
my condition the hospital would not let me move out unless I had the E.C.U. It would enable me
to reach my caregivers whenever I needed assistance. It would also help me with performing
certain tasks like turning on the lights, controlling the heating system, operating all of the
electronics, opening the door etc.
What could I do? I needed to get that equipment and to get it fast. The apartment could only be
kept available for me for two weeks, a month at the most. I previously had applied to various
organizations to try and get the proper funding needed to purchase the E.C.U. but I was given no
response at the time. I couldn't wait any longer; I had to do something. I didn't want to lose my
chance at getting my own apartment. I decided to go public with my story and asked the help of
the people in the community. For that I needed media attention. Those who I contacted were all
very cooperative. There was one in particular that got a lot of attention. It was an article in the
Ottawa Citizen by Mr. Dave Brown in his column ”Brown's Beat”. The response was
unbelievable. There was an outpouring of public support. In two weeks, thanks to the generosity
of the people and a few organizations including P.C.I.L., I manage to raise enough money to
purchase the E. C.U.
Since then I have been enjoying the comforts of living in my own home. I feel very fortunate to be
able to do so. I have regular staff who treat me as an individual and not as a number. Who follow
my directions, are respectful, and deliver their care in a dignified way. It's so nice to feel like a
human being again. Thank you P.C.I.L. for opening your door and letting me in.