Bear, With Me

By Pat Tesan

It had been a grey and drizzly Vancouver day and it was getting late. I had one more visit to make. I knocked on the door while balancing my large package, and waited to be invited in.

The woman who opened the door appeared to be tired and frazzled -- her children had recently arrived home from school and the walls reverberated with their sounds. Among the children was a young boy of about eight, lying on a blanket surrounded by toys. His mother lifted him up onto her knee while I opened the special box.

As I lifted "Spinoza," a cuddly plush bear, out of the box, I turned the knob on his chest. Spinoza started to sing and talk about the little boy and how special he is. The child, who up until now had been staring at the floor, lifted his head up straight and gave me a big smile. He got quite excited and started to giggle. As he laughed and giggled, I saw his mother’s tension melt away. I couldn’t help but laugh as well, rejoicing in his pleasure.

Moments like this remind me that I have one of the best jobs in the world. As PLAN’s "Spinoza Bear Lady," I get to give wonderful gifts to children, and support and information to families, and I get my heart filled in return.

Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) is a registered non-profit, charitable organization established in 1989 by and for families who have a relative with a disability. These families were worried about what would happen to their children with disabilities when they were no longer able to care for them.

In May, 1999, PLAN was asked to share, on behalf of the Grizzlies Foundation, the Spinoza Bear with children with special needs. PLAN asked me to coordinate the program because I have a daughter with a developmental disability and I am a PLAN lifetime member. What an exciting opportunity!

When I first met Spinoza, I was amazed. He is a soft and cuddly, 45-centimetre-tall, talking teddy bear who wears a red Grizzlies vest. Spinoza literally speaks from the heart: he has a built-in audiocassette player with a heart-shaped on/off button on his chest. Spinoza is a loveable, squeezeable, talking companion for children to laugh, sing and read with, and to hold tightly when they need a hug.

The Grizzlies Foundation Spinoza Bear is also a terrific learning aid. He comes with a beautiful book or videotape and nine audiocassette tapes offering educational and therapeutic benefits. Developed by leading child psychologists, health care professionals and creative educators, the tapes feature original songs and stories through which Spinoza addresses issues such as self-esteem, creativity, feelings, relationships, grief and loss, stress management, relaxation, breathing and healthy living. All of the tapes are designed to help build a positive self-concept and promote relaxation. As well, the child’s own storytelling, music and lesson tapes can be played in the bear.

To quote one happy parent: "I believe that the Spinoza Bear is a gift that can grow with my child for many years, providing comfort and entertainment. As a family with a disabled child, we appreciate that the Grizzlies are role models for adults and children, and their support of our children can have immeasurable influence in fostering attitudes of support and tolerance."

The Grizzlies Foundation Spinoza Bear Program not only provides this wonderful toy for a child, it also helps to connect families and provide them with very important and much-needed information and support. As often as possible (especially throughout the Vancouver lower mainland), I personally deliver the bears and spend time with the families, telling them about PLAN and what it has to offer them.

Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network exists for one main reason, and that is to assist families in creating a safe and secure future for their relative with a disability. Often, both fear and a lack of information cause families to put off planning for the future for their child. PLAN provides families with sound practical advice on future planning. We offer technical assistance with will and estate and trust planning and we support families in creating a network of caring friends and family who will be there for their relative, both now and in the future.

We serve families of all ages, and the Spinoza Bear program has been a wonderful way to connect with younger families. One family says, "We thought that PLAN was for families with older children with disabilities, but after Pat’s visit I now see that they can provide me with lots of information that I can use now."

PLAN’s three core values are seen throughout all the services and support it offers to families: 1) family direction (we are run by and for families); 2) self-sufficiency (we are independent from government funding); and 3) friends and family form the foundation for a safe and secure future.

Through the Grizzlies Foundation Spinoza Bear program, whose founding patron is Wood Gundy, I am able to give each family a copy of PLAN’s book, "Safe and Secure," as well as a one-year free associate membership (a $60 value). This book has a wealth of information for families and will help them to find answers to many questions they may have, such as, what will happen to my son or daughter when I am no longer able to care for him/her? The book tells about Personal Support Networks and how they can enhance and nurture the relationships in our relative’s life.

The program helps to connect families and provide them with very important information and support. This will go a long way toward bringing peace of mind and strength to families as they continue on their lifelong journey to create a good life for their relative.

It has been a privilege for me to meet with and speak to families throughout B.C. The families are pleased to receive the information and support and the children are delighted to receive their very own Spinoza Bear.

(For more information about the Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network or about the Grizzlies Foundation Spinoza Bear program, contact Pat Tesen at PLAN, Boundary Plaza, 3665 Kingsway, Ste. 260, Vancouver, BC, V5R 5W2; phone: (604) 439-9566; or fax: (604) 439-7001.)

TIPS FOR CREATING A SAFE AND SECURE FUTURE FOR YOUR CHILD WITH A DISABILITY
- Reach out to other families on the same journey -- you are not alone.
- Open your doors -- invite others to be involved in your child’s life.
- Share your child -- every child has a gift to give, including love, joy and laughter.
- Write your will now -- if you don’t, the government will do it for you.
- Include your family -- they may need advice if they intend to leave your child an inheritance.
- Seek financial advice -- even if you have limited assets, there are ways to ensure a secure financial future for your child.
- Choose a guardian -- if you don’t, the Public Trustee will become your child’s guardian.
- Remember -- no will is perfect -- your will is a living document, and can and should be changed as the years pass.
- Don’t let the technicalities slow you down -- there are many professionals with the expertise to help you.
- Don’t be afraid to dream -- the future holds unlimited possibilities!