‘I couldn’t stand by anymore’: Sudbury father fundraising for addiction treatment for his daughter

A father in Sudbury says he can’t wait any longer to get his daughter much-needed treatment for her mental illness and addiction. Lyndsay Aelick reports.

Jody Cameron says his daughter has suffered from mental illness for about a decade.

“It started off, with some self-medicating many, many, many years ago, with a lot of smoking of weed,” he said.

“It just progressed to cocaine and now it’s progressed to the point where it’s crack and fentanyl and harder drugs.”

Cameron told CTV News that she is now homeless and living on the streets of Greater Sudbury.

“She has experienced being attacked, bear maced, physical assaults and sexual assaults and she’s doing some ungodly things with her body to support this drug habit,” he said.

“It’s just come to the point now that as a father I couldn’t stand by anymore.”

Cameron decided to start a GoFundMe page in hopes of getting her into a rehabilitation facility that offers medical detox, extensive therapy, interventional psychiatry services, programs that will teach life skills and how to life a sober life along with aftercare programs to ensure she is successful.

“Currently the Ontario medical system is failing people in this situation,” he said.

“The factors are the wait times are incredibly long. There’s a lack of understanding with stigmas attached to it. The system seems fragmented. You know, maybe detox over here. There might be therapy over here.”

Cameron said he has been exploring a facility in Guelph with high success rates but adds it costs $415 a day.

“Because she is so addicted and there’s fentanyl in the picture… she just can’t stop cold turkey, she will die,” he said.

“There needs to be a medical detox…Unfortunately for the cost, she’s going to need more than likely a 63 day program that they offer…you’re looking at almost $30,000 and that’s just the accommodations and food.”

Nickel Belt MPP and NDP Health Critic France Gélinas said it is sad to see that a family is resorting to fundraising for health care.

“This is not the Canada I know. This is not the Ontario. I know this has to change,” she said.

“Mental illness is an illness. People who are sick deserve access to care.”

Gélinas said that at least once a week she has constituents coming to her office saying they have loved ones who are ready to go to treatment.

“The wait lists for in our area to get into treatment is over a year – like you’re talking 18 months, 24 months,” she said.

“We have one treatment facility in Elliot Lake and we have a small one in Sudbury for women… Don’t get me wrong, the program in Elliot Lake is really good. It’s just very small. Can only take a few people. The little one we have in Sudbury is also very good, but way too small for the huge demand for those types of treatment.”

Cameron said he can’t wait any longer – she is wanting and willing to go to treatment but that he just doesn’t have the funds to do it.

“I just see the progression being so poor, so bad for her that if I don’t do something, she will be across on the lawn on Paris Street. She just will be,” he said.

“She’s already OD’d five times.”

Cameron said first and foremost his goal is to help his daughter – however, if this can help get the discussion and conversation going to reduce stigma and help those that are in decision-making positions reevaluate how things are getting done he feels that is needed.

“I just hope for others in that situation that once she’s done, part of the plan is to get her to be that advocate, give her a purpose and say, I went through it, this is my life,” he said.

“Maybe keep this campaign going so she can help others in that situation.”