The tree is an important symbol in nearly every culture. With its branches reaching into the sky and roots deep into the earth, a tree symbolizes life. For families who have lost a loved one, it can be a daily reminder that the person is not forgotten, and that his/her memory lives on. A tree lives through the four seasons and is constantly changing and growing. More and more, as the environment becomes a priority, trees are coming to symbolize health. The Nova Scotia chapter held a commemorative event on October 28 2016, in which a tree was planted, along with a plaque, at the entrance of the Dartmouth Canadian Blood Services building. The past Health Minister, George Moody, and current Health Minister, Leo Glavine, both attended and spoke on behalf of the lives lost to the Tainted Blood Tragedy.
Remembering Henderson Allen
Henderson Allen, the oldest person in Canada with Hemophilia and one of the founding members of the Nova Scotia Hemophilia Society, has earned his wings on February 21st 2023. Henderson, more commonly known as Allen, has proven that those with Bleeding disorders can live a long and productive life. Endearingly known as our “Energizer Bunny”, he lived as a strong advocate for both himself and others with Bleeding Disorders.
Henderson’s legacy, and contributions to the bleeding disorder community, will be forever cherished and remembered. We hope to continue to honor the hard work, advocacy, and commitment that he has demonstrated by providing ongoing support, education, and a sense of belonging to those living with bleeding disorders in Nova Scotia.
As a tribute to his memory, we are proud to provide an annual academic scholarship to members of the Nova Scotia Hemophilia Society, seeking post secondary education. Visit the home page for details on how to apply for the Henderson Allen Leadership Initiative Memorial Scholarship.
Please click the following link for his formal obituary. https://tjtracey.com/tribute/details/2236/Henderson-Allen/obituary.html
Remembering Janet Conners
Janet Conners was a former Nova Scotia Hemophilia Society Chapter President, who sadly passed away August 20th 2022. Janet and her late husband Randy, who both contracted HIV in the 80’s through tainted blood, were instrumental in the fight to get fair and equitable compensation for those infected, and their families.
Their advocacy efforts were partly responsible for the federal government’s Krever Commission, an inquiry into the Canadian Blood Distribution System that led to collection being removed from the hands of the Red Cross, and the creation of Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec.
Please click the following link to the Canadian Hemophilia Society Memoriam webpage, dedicated to remembering Janet.
Unspeakable Series
Unspeakable is an 8 episode television series based on emotionally charged personal accounts from those affected by the “Tainted Blood Scandal”. It draws from Andre Picard’s Gift of Death: Confronting Canada’s Tainted Blood Tragedy, Vic Parsons’ Bad Blood: The Tragedy of the Canadian Tainted Blood Scandal, and The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canadian Blood Tragedy, led by Justice Horace Krever.
CBC describes the series in the following paragraph:
“In the early 1980’s, AIDS emerged and quickly became an epidemic. Those responsible for public safety failed. Thousands died. A second virus, hepatitis C, infected tens of thousands more. People were kept in the dark, afraid to speak out. Ignorance, arrogance, politics and economics all lead to betrayal, to cover-up, to scandal. Unspeakable is told from the perspective of two families caught in a tragedy that gripped a nation, as well as the doctors, nurses, corporations and bureaucracy responsible. The series follows the decades long saga as people struggled to survive, change the system and battle for compensation for those who desperately needed it.”
Click the following link below to learn more about the series and/or to watch.
https://www.cbc.ca/unspeakable/
