'Written off': Sask. woman says her brother, who had Down syndrome, fell through the cracks
Tara Jo Kadlec has been advocating for better care for her brother Cory for years.
He was 41-years-old when he died last month, and she thinks he was failed by his care providers at the end of his life because of what she describes as huge systemic problems in Saskatchewan health care.
“Because he had the dementia diagnosis; that he was getting written off, ‘oh he has dementia, just dementia,’ but that’s not really true because he had pneumonia,” Kadlec told CTV News.
These conditions were all part of the complex health needs Cory faced alongside having Down syndrome, and that dementia diagnosis since 2022. He also had a stroke in 2020.
Kadlec says Cory’s death was just the last in a string of issues they faced with the health care system in Saskatchewan.
“Everybody deserves dignity and deserves to be treated fairly, whether it’s the beginning of your life or the end,” she says.
Cory was shuffled around to care homes that didn’t adequately treat his multitude of physical and mental needs, and after a 10-month stay at Royal University Hospital, Kadlec took over care of her brother in Saskatoon. She had to leave her home in Calgary, where she was living with her sister, and quit working for almost two years to manage Cory’s care.
On Monday at the legislature, provincial NDP critic for social services Meara Conway met with Kadlec and other families who are calling for better care for people with intellectual disabilities.
NDP social services critic Meara Conway met with Tara Jo Kadlec about the care her brother received at the end of his life. (Courtesy: Tara Jo Kadlec)
“The case of Cory is very heartbreaking, but unfortunately it does encapsulate many of the challenges in the sector. The systemic issues that I’ve heard about — it’s almost like Cory went through all of it,” Conway told CTV News.
Families also met with the social services minister Gene Makowsky, who Kadlec says knew very little about Cory’s case — something that surprised her.
Health minister Everett Hindley admits the issues Cory faced need to be addressed in a meaningful way, and says they’re currently setting up meetings with families involved.
“I’ve asked them to bring some ideas to us, too. Is there some ideas or models in other provinces that we can implement in Saskatchewan to help to provide care in those instances?”
Cory Kadlec - (Courtesy: Tara Jo Kadlec)
Kadlec appreciates the effort, and while it’s too late for her brother — she’s going to keep up the fight for change.
“The reason we did this in the first place was to fight for Cory and his friends.”
She’s determined to keep the valuable things her brother taught her during his life close at hand while she embarks on the journey.
“The impact my brother made in this life; I’ll never be the same person. I am the person I am today with compassion, empathy, kindness at a high level because of him.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
The push to Parliament's summer hiatus is about to begin, here's what you need to know
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war between Israel and Hamas.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Your kids' ultraprocessed food consumption may put them at higher risk, study shows
The ultraprocessed foods your kids eat now may be putting them at greater risk for cardiometabolic problems – like heart attack, stroke and diabetes – in adulthood, a new study suggests.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.