Events
Thursday, May 6, 2021
MCW Screening of "The Silent Child" and Discussion on Deafness
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
The MCW invites you to join us in viewing this award-winning Short Film "The Silent Child" followed by a talk and discussion moderated by MCW Past President Bonnie Destounis.
Set in rural England and inspired by real-life events. The Silent Child centres around a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl named Libby who is born into a middle-class family and lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication. MCW Past President BONNIE STAMOS DESTOUNIS, founding member of the Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute will answer questions and talk about disabilities and deafness in particular.
Registration
About Our Speaker
Bonnie Stamos-Destounis
Bonnie's mother was widowed at a young age and she was left with five children under the age of 16. She was a strong advocate of education for women and independence as such, strongly encouraged her daughters to attend university and follow a career. With that support and encouragement, Bonnie received a diploma in physiotherapy followed by a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Science from McGill University.
Bonnie started as a physiotherapist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital Mackay Center and was eventually appointed Director of Professional Services at the Center. During this period, she was asked to join the McGill Baffin Zone Project as a pediatric consultant to the Baffin Regional Hospital. With the cooperation of Public Health Services in Iqaluit, she helped establish a preschool stimulation program for children with physical and sensory disabilities in Iqaluit.
Bonnie's professional experience in Iqaluit and Montreal contributed to her understanding of issues related to not only physical disabilities but also to the general field of deafness. In 1988 Bonnie was a founding member of the Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute and was also directly involved in several grassroots projects advocating for deaf adults. On retirement, this dedication to advocacy led Bonnie to join MCW. As President (2008-2011) the Council presented to the Senate Committee on Official Languages, seeking more support for deaf adults and anglophone seniors.
Presently, Bonnie is a member of the Medical Mission and the RVH patient committees. She is working to improve access to healthcare for seniors and deaf seniors in particular, by helping health care workers have a better understanding of deaf culture.