Michelle Jansen has grave concerns two weeks before the coroner’s inquest into her son’s death even begins.
“I’m not convinced I’m going to get the truth,” she said.
Twenty-year-old Brandon Jansen was admitted to the Sunshine Coast Health Centre in Powell River for a fentanyl addiction last March. Desperate for help, his mother spent $40,000 on treatment at the private facility. Three days into the program Brandon was found dead in his room from a fentanyl overdose.
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Michelle said the centre offered to start a scholarship in Brandon’s name.
“It was followed up with what I consider a direct threat, basically saying that if I chose to decline the offer that things could get really ugly at the inquest in terms of the information that they would bring forward about me, about Brandon, about the family.”
In a statement, the centre said:
“The Centre has offered to donate to the Brandon Jansen Memorial Fund, and to work with the Jansen family at the upcoming Coroner’s Inquest towards meaningful recommendations aimed at the fentanyl overdose crisis. In November, the Centre reached out to the family, through legal counsel, in an attempt to work towards this common goal. The family has not responded to the offer and we respect their decision. We are surprised to hear our offer characterized as an attempt to quiet Ms. Jansen who we believe has been an excellent advocate for the rights of addicted people and their families to quality mental health care.”
But Michelle had a very different interpretation.
“Basically, tarnish my reputation, tarnish my son’s reputation, and essentially smear my family. Isn’t it bad enough that my son died while he was in their care?”
Sunshine Coast said: “The centre has fully cooperated with an investigation by Vancouver Coastal Health, which concluded in October, with a finding that we were in compliance with all regulations at the time of Brandon Jansen’s death.”
“I’m not going to be bought,” Michelle said. “I want the truth and the facts to come out.”
The inquest into Brandon’s death begins Jan. 16.
– With files from Rumina Daya