“With characteristic courage and determination, Franke James took on the health care system and her own family to free her sister Teresa from a nursing home. By turns gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring, Freeing Teresa shows how the disability rights ideal of ‘nothing about us without us’ is the only way to make decisions about frail or aging family members. This story will break your heart and then fill it up again.”
Catherine McKercher, author of Shut Away: When Down Syndrome Was a Life Sentence
“An unshakeable belief in human potential”
“This is a gripping story about courage, love, and an unshakeable belief in human potential—about people who possess a rare combination of optimism with savviness about power, law, and human nature. Inspirational.”
Marty Seldman, Ph.D., WSJ Bestselling author of Survival of the Savvy
“Full of insight, heartbreak and inspiration”
“Full of insight, heartbreak and inspiration, Freeing Teresa offers a compelling glimpse into the experience of people with disabilities. This no-holds-barred story is a must-read for decision-makers, advocates, family members, and anyone who cares about disability rights.”
Karla Verschoor, Executive Director, Inclusion BC
“A must-read for anyone who cares about human dignity and equal rights”
“The battle to have Teresa be the best she can be—and to spend her life in a loving environment—is the heart of this book. A truly amazing story about an inspiring person and those who made it happen. A must-read for anyone who cares about human dignity and equal rights.”
George Melnyk, Professor Emeritus, Communication, Media and Film, University of Calgary
“Authentic, raw and riveting”
“Freeing Teresa is authentic, raw and riveting. It was an emotional roller coaster—one that will be very real for many disabled people. At its core, it’s about hope for a better life and resilience.”
Isabel Mavrides-Calderon, @Powerfullyissa, disability advocate
“A courageous, personal account”
“Franke James has written a courageous, personal account of fighting the system—and her family—to free her sister, Teresa, from forced care. It is a study in family dynamics and how individual perspectives, regardless of how ‘well-meaning’ they may be, can place our loved ones’ human rights at risk. Freeing Teresa reflects in microcosm society’s struggles to maintain appropriate supports for people with disabilities who need care, in the face of those who resent expenditures on the ‘unproductive’ amongst us.”
Alanna Hendren, Executive Director, Developmental Disabilities Association
