Heritage home to offer comfort to kids

[attach]4650[/attach]Families with kids battling terminal or serious illnesses will soon have a place in the city to turn to for support.

Two months ago, the Philip Aziz Centre for Hospice Care began construction on Toronto’s first children’s hospice, located at the Governor’s House on Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street.

The 10-bed facility will be set up so parents can stay with their kids.

“It has a family setting to it but at the same time patients will have all the medical facilities needed,” the centre’s manager of volunteer and staff resources, Willi Shillinglaw, said.

Plans for the facility began about six years ago and so far the organization has raised $4 million of the estimated $7 million it needs to complete the project.

Fundraising hasn’t been Philip Aziz Centre’s only obstacle.

Since the Governor’s House and the Gatehouse are heritage buildings, the organization had to obtain permissions from the city’s to make the necessary renovations to the structures.

“There was a little opposition at the committee meeting from some who said they objected about the heritage restoration not being good enough,” said Ward 30 councillor Paula Fletcher.

She adds although there was no written objection, she was told by a few community members there were also some objections to children with AIDS being in the community.

Despite the minor resistance, Fletcher said the tremendous support in rescuing the buildings from decay and using them for social good eventually won over.

“These buildings have been left vacant for over a decade,” she said. “Now they’ll be used to assist children who are very ill.”

The Philip Aziz Centre expects construction on both buildings to be finished by the fall of 2012.

Once completed, the hospice within the Governor’s House will be operating as Emily’s House — named in honour of Emily Yeskoo, who was diagnosed at age 10 with a life-threatening neurodegenerative illness.

“She’s still alive today at age 18,” Shillinglaw says. “She’s a great representation of people actively recognizing the need for such a home.”