JP Pampena, A Father’s Day Wish

If there was ever an award given for the true meaning of courage I would think the person who would win that award hands down would be a very special man by the name of JP Pampena, a single parent who has been completely blind since age 24. He is now 59 years of age, and has not only had to deal with his own day to day challenges, but for the past 3 years he also helped care for his loving wife Paulette Pampena till the day she died of liver cancer on Friday, July 11th 2014. Since her passing, JP has dedicated his life to his severely disabled daughter Nicole Pampena who is 20 years old and weighs 50 LBS, and if she could stand on her own would be just less than 3 feet tall. She cannot walk, talk or swallow. She is tube fed and requires 7/24 suctioning. She is wheel chair bound and has full blown scoliosis of the back of 180 degrees. She has been hospitalized 157 times out of her 240 months of life. Despite all her medical problems Nicole is one of the happiest little girls you would ever want to meet.” I guess she takes after her dad”, states Tony Roma a long time family friend. “JP is one of the most amazing men I have ever known, considering all of his challenges” states Gina Rosati also a friend of 40 years.  JP makes everything look so easy and tries to do his best at everything he does. He starts his day with a 45 minute exercise workout before he sees his daughter off to School. He then showers, gets dressed has breakfast and then gets ready for his busy day. He faxes letters to politicians for more funding for Nicole's nursing bills. He makes sure all the nursing care is in place for the week. He also looks after setting up weekend respite appointments for his daughter. He helps train new nurses who are added to Nicole's healthcare team at home. He also arranges medical appointments for Nicole. He tries to organize as many conference calls as he possibly can with government heads, meets with his daughter's teachers and her CCAC representatives to discuss new communication devises for Nicole. “It is a busy household from the start of dawn till dusk,” states Mr. Pampena. “I am always looking for volunteers to help us. I need drivers to take Nicole to her appointments and to visit her Mom. I always need people to help me with my lawn cutting, snow plow removal and cleaning people.” In between all this, JP still finds time to help the 3 nursing shifts look after his beautiful little girl Nicole. He looks after maintaining Nicole's wheelchair van along with all the upkeep of Nicole's special equipment she uses during the day. JP also looks after maintaining all of his own household chores and attempts to make his own meals. If that's not enough, he trys to make a living doing some part time PR consulting work for a Toronto based mobile hairstyling and aesthetic service called Stylist on Call Inc. However with all this said and done, 70% of his time is spent writing to Doctor Eric Hoskins, the new Minister of Health, asking him for more funding for Nicole's nursing care at home.  “The Ministry would rather I institutionalize my daughter at a cost of over $37,000.00 per month to the state rather than to help me keep her at home for $23,000.00 per month,” said Mr. Pampena, “Unless the Minister of Health steps up to the plate to help us I will get further and further into debt and risk losing our home to the bank for the funds I have had to borrow to stay afloat for past nursing bills to cover both my wife's and daughter's healthcare needs”.  If you’re touched by this story and would like to help Mr. Pampena keep his daughter at home with him. You can choose to help him by making a donation for his father's day fundraising drive by googling Nicole Miracle Wish page and go to gofundme.com donation page.  

Paul Collins author of Mack Dunstan's Inferno/Mystery of Everyman's Way

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