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Canada
The Teresa Group was founded in 1989, in cooperation with, but separate from, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. It provides programmes and services for children living with or affected by AIDS and their families.
From some five families in the first few years, the Teresa Group now serves over 350 families with 670 children. In the early days, it cared for families with infected children, but as it grew, the needs of affected children began to be addressed. In order to receive service, a family will have one member under the age of 18 and one who is infected by HIV or AIDS.
In the early 1990s, many babies who were infected at birth died before the age of five, but with the advent of medications now given to mothers during pregnancy and to the baby for the first weeks of life, there are fewer deaths in early childhood and medication now keeps many children healthy. Some children who the Teresa Group has known for many years are now completing High School and entering post-secondary education.
An important programme developed by the Teresa Group is the provision of free infant formula for babies of HIV-infected mothers. Due to the high cost of formula, some mothers were considering breast-feeding their babies, despite the possibility of transmitting HIV to their children (around 18%). This programme now covers the province of Ontario and formula is provided for the babies for the first year of life.
As we better understood the emotional needs of children in families affected by HIV/AIDS, a group support programme started. Leading the Way began in 1995 and addresses the loneliness, isolation and depression so often experienced, as well as the stigma that remains among the public despite much education. Here the children may talk openly about living with the secrecy and stigma of this disease.
Asked how coming to the group sessions helped, one child answered: "Knowing that other people are like me with my health issues feels good, because those people don't seem different from people that don't have HIV/AIDS, so it tells me that that's the case with me too."
The beginning of spring always marks the start of another Leading the Way programme. Since 1995, the programme has supported children and youth affected by HIV/AIDS. Throughout the years, the facilitators have found many innovative ways to work with the children as they struggle to understand and cope with the impact of HIV/AIDS on their daily lives. Two wonderful books, a quilt, masks, artwork, to name just a few things, have been produced by the groups. The results chronicle their own emotional journeys and serve as educational tools to other children and youth who perhaps do not have access to this type of support system. During this 2007 Leading the Way series, the children and youth have worked on the creation of a therapeutic garden. Thanks to the generosity of Riverdale Farm, the programme has been given some land to grow plants. The concepts of being connected to the earth, renewal and growth will be particularly significant to the children who have lost a family member to AIDS. Many of the children in the Leading the Way programme do not have access to gardens, or may not know how their contents can restore and heal. We look forward to getting dirty and watching the children and the garden grow and blossom.
Out of this experience, have come other supportive groups: for HIV-positive women during their pregnancies; for mothers with new babies; and for mothers with toddlers. They too can feel very lonely as they face the special problems that HIV brings to this time in their lives.
The Teresa Group also has a Food Bank that gives families food that can help with school lunches and with healthy snacks. At the start of the school year, a backpack is given to each school-age child with pencils, pens and paper. Getting through schoolwork can be very difficult, so a tutor can be provided to help a child through the curriculum.
There are more light-hearted provisions too, such as gifts for birthdays and other major events of the year and a big party with music and lots of wonderful food (donated) that happens towards the end of the year.
Here in Canada we are fortunate with our health care system and with the excellence of medical care at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Together with them the Teresa Group is able to make a real difference in the lives of families affected by AIDS. Since I retired in 2000, it has been a real joy to see the continuing growth and development of the agency and to watch the children grow.
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