Rugby weekend Two-sport athlete choosing rugby over lacrosse. Page A11
BOORMAN’S
NEWS: Finding affordable housing at sea /A3 ARTS: Young musician lets loose /A9 LETTERS: New homes spark opinions /A7
SINCE 1933
Real Estate Insurance
OAK BAYNEWS
Property Management 2045 Cadboro Bay Rd, Victoria
250-595-1535 www.boorman.com
Watch for breaking news at www.oakbaynews.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Do you know the muffin man? Chef Arthur Morton offers up a batch of freshly baked muffins in the Muffin Nook at the Henderson Recreation Centre. The Muffin Nook is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Parents make a plea for help Kelly and Owen Bradley are calling on the government to bridge a gap in youth mental health services Daniel Palmer News staff
The parents of a child with a mental health disorder are pleading with the province to recognize a gap in critical care. Owen and Kelly Bradley’s 11-year-old daughter – who they asked not be named – has bipolar disorder, an illness marked by mood swings that sometimes lead to violence. On Jan. 2, her behaviour became so erratic that police took her to Victoria General Hospital under the Mental Health Act. She spent four days there in a safe room. “The crisis team can come to your house, but if a person is violent toward herself, they tell you to call 911
and take her to the hospital,” Kelly says, sitting in the living room of their Fernwood home. The Bradleys asked for help, knowing their daughter was in need of serious psychiatric and medical support. Doctors looked into Jack Ledger House, a children’s mental health facility in Saanich that serves all of Vancouver Island. A weeks-long wait list meant the Bradleys had to take their daughter home. Since then, the girl’s behaviour has landed her back in VGH on two other occasions. Doctors had no choice but to discharge her again after they ruled out physical symptoms. “As soon as they get the results back (from brain scans), they discharge her because it’s a mental health
OAK
BAY
tomf@vreb.bc.ca
250-360-4821
issue,” Kelly says. To shed light on this gap in care, the Bradleys created an online petition that calls on B.C. Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid to fund acute crisis beds for children, staffed with dedicated child psychiatrists and specially trained nurses. It’s a tall order, but the couple says too many families are suffering in silence. Since starting the petition, families “from all over B.C.” have contacted them with similar complaints of a gaping hole in the system. PLEASE SEE: VIHA moving to address problem, Page A5
This modern but cozy home features great privacy, all day sunshine, and boasts terrific water views of Haro Strait and Mt. Baker. Stepping into the great room with its feature FP and cathedral ceiling along with the dramatic views, you cannot resist "WOW". Moving through the great room to the sheltered back patio with its ponds, waterfall, gas BBQ and stone FP takes you from grandeur to serenity. This graceful, warm, turnkey home is in pristine condition and shows pride of ownership. The hi-end kitchen is a gourmet's delight. The upstairs opens to an amazing master bedroom suite with a spa - influenced ensuite featuring a jacuzzi bath in which to soak while overlooking Haro Strait and a massive walk-in dressing room. Floor plans available. Offered at $1,685,000
Buying or selling in Oak Bay? Give me a call. Area specialization does make a difference!
Royal Le Page Coast Capital Realty INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED