Callander woman’s journey to find her biological family on display in museum
Fran Hanover has two families: her adopted Germany family and her biological relatives.
Hanover was adopted when she only three weeks old during what was known as the 'Sixties Scoop’ -- the forced removal of children from single mothers in post-war Canada.
Records were sealed, ethnicities hidden and medical records were not included.
“I grew up as this German-speaking artsy-fartsy,” laughed Hanover.
As she got older, several people would ask whether she wanted to look for her biological relatives. At the time, she had no intention of doing so -- until her son was diagnosed with cancer.
Hanover wanted to know more about her medical background. But her attempts to trace her biological family began with redacted documents and vague details.
Until she tried Ancestry.ca.
“I spit into a tube and I opened Pandora’s Box,” said Hanover.
First, she found a cousin and then a sister who was also abandoned. They were both born in Toronto. From there, she found her brother, who was born in Buffalo, NY. Eventually, she found her six siblings and immediately connected with them.
Her newfound family told her that her biological mother, Ernestine, was an artist and an art teacher. Her siblings always tell her the resemblance between the two is uncanny.
Fran Hanover has two families: her adopted Germany family and her biological relatives. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
“Our childhood photos and our teenage photos, we had the same expressions,” Hanover said.
Little did she know that spitting in the tube would save her life. Ernestine died in 1991 from a brain aneurism. Hanover asked her doctor to be screened and the tests found she also had an aneurism above her eye. She had surgery to remove it.
“Had I never taken that step, I would have never found my records. It would have made a huge challenge to find her and my medical information,” said Hanover.
She then became interested in drawing her mother’s portraits and creating artwork about her journey, growing up with her adopted German family and finding her biological family. She decided to put it on display at the Callander Bay Heritage Museum and Alex Dufresne Gallery.
Her display is called 'SPIT, The Art of Disclosure.'
“It always fascinates me how artists can put so much of themselves into their artwork and this is one that very much stands out,” said museum and gallery curator Natasha Wiatr.
Hanover hopes her artwork will inspire people to be proud of who they are.
“If you are ever questioning why you are the way are, a lot of it really is nature and not nurture,” said Hanover. “It’s from somebody in our past that’s given us these gifts.”
Fran’s artwork will be on display until Nov. 13. The gallery is open from Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.