Stories

Celebrating hope and renewal at Barrett House

Kenneth Poon, 2008

Kenneth Poon knows what it’s like to be at death’s door. He spent
two years at Casey House Hospice, fighting for his life.

“Heath issue-wise, I was at rock bottom. One doctor thought I
wasn’t going to make it. Twice, my sister came from California
and stayed with me. And she said to the doctors, “You said he
was dying. But he’s not dying!”

“I never thought I would be staying two years in Casey House.
After a year, my sister said, ‘It’s time to sell your house.’ And
then I stayed another year.”

Ken lost his eyesight to AIDS. He cannot return to the job he held for nine years, as a buyer at Holt
Renfrew. “They held my position for a year. But what am I going to do without eyesight? Smell the
clothes?”

However, he never lost hope. He remains fiercely determined not just to live, but to get better, and to
regain independence and mobility.

“A lot of people coming out of Casey House are without a home, even a short-term home. I’m not ready
to be alone. First they sent me to a nursing home, and then I heard about Barrett House from a friend and I
moved here.”

“Barrett House is a place where we can lean on people’s shoulders. I see it as a step before getting right
back into society.”

“It was a challenge for me and for Barrett House staff to see how independent I could be. I stayed here for
two days and three nights to show them I could manage the stairs,” remembers Ken.

“I like the environment and the atmosphere and the staff have been very good to me. We mind our own
business and live in harmony. It is nice to be back to having my own room rather than sharing a
dormitory.”

Ken works with the CNIB to learn how to manage daily life and regain independence. His skills have
developed to the point that he plans to move to an apartment of his own in a supportive facility. He even
hosted a barbecue in the back yard at Barrett House.

“The barbecue was a way to say thank you to the nurses, the doctors, CNIB, everyone who helped me get
this far. I bought the supplies, and I was able to make the patties and the salad with some help from the
staff, someone else did the grilling. It was a sort of fulfillment to me that I could bring out the other
Barrett House residents and the residents could invite their guests. At the end of the day, I hope everyone
had fun.