Private donor steps up to pay for Quebec boy's autism therapy

Tina Chapman wouldn't describe her son as a morning person.

But when she called Blake at 5:30 a.m. to get up and get ready to drive to Montreal for his first autism therapy session in months, he shot out of bed.

"By the time we got in there, he was literally pushing me out of the room," said Chapman, who lives in Lachute, 80 kilometres northwest of Montreal. "He was like, 'OK, Mommy, time for therapy. Go.'"

• Mother blames loss of publicly funded autism therapy for sending 5-year-old into tailspin

It's a gift Chapman never expected when she went public with her son's struggles after his government-funded therapy was cut last summer, when Blake started school.

After hearing Blake's story, Styvia Kyres, a complete stranger, came forward to pay for him to get applied behaviour analysis, known as ABA therapy, once a week.

"It spoke to me," said Kyres, who also has a child with autism.

Last week, Blake went back to therapy for the first time since he turned five and the government declared him no longer eligible, last July.

Chapman says it was amazing to see.

Her son was, once again, happy, calm and co-operative — behaviour that Chapman hopes will carry over in the kindergarten classroom.

"He's getting what he needs," said Chapman.

Without therapy, Chapman watched Blake regress, unable to cope with even the simplest demand at kindergarten.

After months of constant worry and near-daily calls from his school, seeing Blake back in therapy was a huge relief.

"I was stress-free for three hours," said Chapman. "I can't remember the last time I had that."

Story resonates with Toronto family

Kyres knows the value of early intervention.

Her daughter, Angelina, was diagnosed with autism at age three.

At the time, Angelina was non-verbal, and her psychologist was cautious about her chances of improving.

Faced with a long waiting list for publicly funded therapy, Kyres paid to get her daughter help privately.

Almost immediately, Kyres said she saw changes. 

"It was miraculous," said Kyres. "It just unlocked something with her."

Kyres doesn't think her daughter would be who she is today without ABA therapy, but she knows what a financial strain it can be.

As a single mother, Chapman doesn't have the means to pay for it herself.

Kyres said she was in a position to help.

"Rather than give it somewhere else, I'd rather know that this child is getting help," said Kyres, a Montrealer who recently moved to Toronto.

"I understand, from one parent that has a child on the autism spectrum to another parent: I can understand her frustration and where she's coming from."

• Quebec families turn to private autism therapies — at staggering cost

'Overwhelmed' by outpouring of support

Chapman said she's received other offers of help.

The Montreal Special Needs Family Organization started a GoFundMe campaign for Blake, with the goal of raising $10,000 to pay for one year's worth of therapy.

Chapman's local MNA, Liberal Yves St-Denis, also reached out.

He's looking into why Chapman's request for a new government supplement to help special needs children was turned down.

In a letter explaining the decision, Retraite Québec, the government ministry responsible for disability payments, said it doesn't deny Blake has a disability but didn't judge his autism as having a significant impact on his daily life.

Chapman has appealed that decision.

St-Denis's office is also helping to make sure that Chapman is getting the most from her social assistance benefits and trying to find other organizations that may be able to get extra services for Blake.

"I am definitely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support," said Chapman. 

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be isolating.

But not anymore, for Chapman.

• 'We've had enough': Quebec parents of autistic children form united front to call for better services

Sharing her story has connected her with an entire community of other parents facing the same challenges.

With them, she has just helped co-found the Autism Coalition of Quebec, which is demanding that Quebec table a long-delayed plan to help children with autism.

That plan, which Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois initially promised a year ago, is now expected sometime after spring break.

For Chapman, making sure every child with autism gets the services that person needs, right into adulthood, is critical.

"I can't just stop with my kid," said Chapman.

"If I get it changed for one, then that door's open to change for all the other kids," she said.

"I don't want another family to ever go through this."

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