Margarida

I would like to nominate my mother Margarida.

My mother has been a caregiver her whole life.

She cared for my sister and I growing up while she worked to put food on the table and pay bills.

She has taken care of her ill father who passed away approximately 16 years ago.

She took care of my father who had a heart attack and went through heart surgery.

She was my rock when I went through breast cancer 6 years ago.  I had chemotherapy, radiation and three surgeries.  Through my illness, my mom was there.  She changed dressings, drove me to appointments, came over to my home to cook and clean.  Through it all she kept me strong and always had a joke or two or words of wisdom that kept me going.  She even told me that if she could, she would take the disease and everything that came with it, from me, so I wouldn’t have to go through it.

She sacrificed her own life and her time to make sure her family was okay.

My mom has always been there for me with helping raise my 4 daughters (24 to 18 yrs.).  Babysitting when they were little, helping me through post-partum depression, caring for them on sick days, driving them places when I couldn’t, supporting them in all their extra- curricular activities and being their sounding board when they have had any type of stressors in their lives.

She continues to help my sister – who is a single mom with 3 little ones.  She drives the kids, she goes over almost every day to help with laundry, meals and babysitting.

And if that’s not enough, she visits her 96 year old mom every day who is in a nursing home.

My mom has been through a lot of illness and caregiving in her life, as mentioned above.  She has also been instrumental helping with her brother who had a stroke and recently with my uncle who recently passed away.  Getting his affairs in order, all while making sure his Alzheimer’s wife is being looked after health wise and legally.  She and my dad travel every week to Toronto and have been doing so for the last 3-4 months to ensure my uncle and aunt’s affairs are in order.

My mom is the epitome of strength and self- sacrifice.

I believe she deserves to be recognized for being a hero to many people.

Your loving daughter, Nancy.