Travis Bailey funding

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It’s been nearly 11 years since Travis Bailey was the victim of mistaken identity and shot point-blank in the head by a drug dealer’s shotgun rendering him half blind, partially paralyzed and with mental difficulties.

Throughout his rehabilitation, his family has fought for his rights to services and now they find themselves in a similar spot as funds for life’s basics have been pulled away.

For Travis Bailey, today is another day of grueling rehabilitation to try to regain what he lost nearly 11 years ago. Bailey says he tries to remain positive.

But that’s become much harder. For the past 8 years, Bailey had subsidized personal service workers to help him bathe. In 2015, those services were dropped

The Community Care Access Centre said they didn’t have people qualified to help someone with Travis’ physical and mental conditions. Going out in public became a traumatic experience.

While the Health Minister says his team has tried to help. The Bailey’s turned them down since one option involved anxiety drugs. Instead, Travis has depleted his $25 thousand he received from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. He was paying for support workers from a private company that isn’t recognized by the province.

Travis still receives $1 thousand a month as compensation for his injuries but now he has to choose between daily rehab or daily hygiene.

If not, Cindy says she has some difficult decisions to make. She says they have two options if Travis isn’t reimbursed or funding isn’t extended. She would either have to quit her public health job 3 years before retirement and be his personal service worker or sell her home on the Hamilton mountain to pay for someone to be his PSW.

In the meantime, Hamilton Mountain MPP Monique Taylor says she won’t stop speaking on Travis’ behalf at Queen’s Park.

The Health Minister’s team is open to conversation but the Bailey’s say they won’t attend unless the government brings funding solutions to the table.