What do CAMH’s two new hospital buildings mean for the West Queen West community?
CAMH supporter, Paul Petro, shares his family's experience with mental health and the significance of CAMH’s new hospital buildings in his community.
“I think it is important to share our stories to help erase the stigma and reflect how we all have a stake in the success of research and client support,” said Paul Petro of Paul Petro Contemporary Art. Paul is a staple in the West Queen West community who has a long history of awareness when it comes to mental health issues in Canada. Due to an acute birth defect, Paul’s older brother, who was seven at the time, was institutionalized at Orillia’s Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) in 1964. Paul’s family remained involved in the HRC community until 1999 when his brother was relocated to a group home in Toronto. “I was struck by the highly compassionate relocation process,” Paul recalled about his brother’s transition to a new life in Toronto.