‘We Can’t Speak’: Barenaked women Band representative On linking To Daughter Through songs
As a long-time person in the legendary band that is canadian The Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Hearn has played before large audiences all around the world, but his most cherished performances are before an audience of one in a Toronto area group home. That’s where his daughter Havana lives. A take-off on Streams of Whisky by the legendary Irish band The Pogues.
“When we first heard of her diagnosis, after spending a few weeks at the Hospital for Sick Kids, we were distraught,” said Hearn.“And I went back to the hospital the next day and asked if I could speak to the nurses and the doctors. And I said, ‘We don’t know what to do. We’re in a state of shock. And they said, ‘She’s your daughter. All you have to do is love her.’ And that was the best advice. And so my mission has always just been to give her the best life she possibly can have and facilitate her happiness.”
Havana, now 20, was born with a brain malformation called lissencephaly at nearly every visit, he plays her favourite song, Streams of Lemonade. She’s non-verbal, has actually restricted flexibility and endures seizures. recalls Hearn. a part that is vital of Havana’s happiness was finding somewhere for her to attend
“We heard about Beverley School and made an appointment and went in there and it was like you could hear a choir singing. It was like, this is where we belong. This is a place for Havana,”School
when she was ready for kindergarten. said Hearn. For decades, Toronto’s Beverley School has been catering to children that are young exceptionalities. Every one of the pupils from preschool to quality 8 have actually developmental handicaps and several have actually both bodily limits and complex
“We are here to provide opportunities and resources to every child,”Medical“It’s a place where we have Technology readily available that other classes, other schools would not have because there is a level of understanding of what the students need.” circumstances.
said Beverley class key Danjela Malobabic. By providing the entire Learning ecosystem to kids with handicaps, the teachers at Beverley think they can make use of every
“It’s a place where she grew up and she learned,”Student“Every day they would do activities and try to teach her about the world and nature and everything you could hope for your child. I’m ever grateful for the part that school played in our lives.”
’s prospective. Hearn feels it had been the place that is perfect Havana.
“Dream Serenade is a wonderful thing,” said Hearn.
As a way of expressing that gratitude, Hearn performs in an fundraising that is annual for all the groups of Beverley class known as fantasy Serenade. Other than Kevin, desired Serenade has actually provided a array that is wide of profile artists including Gord Downie, Serena Ryder, Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo, Tom Cochrane, Feist and Matt Berninger from the National. The shows have raised more than $400,000 over the years. That money has gone towards everything from respite care for the parents of Beverley School students, to playground equipment. (*) said Hearn. ”I’m just honoured to be a part of it every ”(* year)
