Good morning, Speaker. It feels really good to be here in the Legislature today.

My mother has been hospitalized for almost two months, and I’ve been able to be right by her side—I promised I wouldn’t cry—as her primary caregiver, thanks to the support of the leader of the official opposition and my Ontario NDP colleagues. Thank you.

I want to thank my staff for their support, as well as other staff who have reached out. I want to thank other members, including government members who also shared their concern. I won’t ever forget it.

Over the last several weeks, my mother has been cared for by dozens of hard-working doctors, specialists, nurses, OTs, PTs and PSWs. I can’t thank them enough. Only about 10 days ago, after hundreds of vials of bloodwork, tests, consultations and two biopsies, we got a diagnosis: neurosarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune-related multi-systemic disease that involves inflammation of the brain, spinal cord, meninges, cranial and peripheral nerves. It attacks the central nervous system. This disease has no cure, but remission might be possible. I have seen it ravage my mother’s body and brain and mind and strip her of her independence, but she is a fighter.

Thank you to the Speaker for giving me a few extra moments.

The treatment for this disease is incredibly difficult on the body with its own laundry list of complications, some of which can be life-threatening.

I want to thank countless constituents in my community of St. Paul’s across party lines for their love and support, phone calls and text messages.

I especially want to show gratitude to our local faith leaders and many congregation members at St. Michael and All Angels, St. Matthew’s, Holy Blossom, Verity Centre for Better Living, previous pastors from MCC Toronto, and right here at the Legislature, Charlie the chaplain, for their consistent shoulder and faith when I’ve had none.

To my chosen family, family members, dear former caucus members and education colleagues and friends, my mom’s friends, thank you.

To my partner, Aisha, thank you for being my rock.

Speaker, to all of the members in the House: I don’t know what our future holds, but my mom and I are so lucky to have experienced all this compassion during this unbearable time, and I cannot thank you all enough.