In 2012, I left my long-time job as senior policy analyst for the Ontario Ministry of Health to write. I've written on parenting, cancer, and parenting with cancer, plus social commentary for the Globe and Mail, New York Times, Toronto Life, Chatelaine, Huffington Post and a couple of anthologies.
The Unvarnished Truth - A writer on the complicated side of telling her father’s story. Zoomer Magazine, August 2021
I’m Resisting the Return to Pre-Pandemic “Normal.” Here’s Why You Should Too Readers Digest, August 2020
What it’s like living in a long-term care home Readers Digest, August 2020
Why we’re (finally) talking about menopause - Chatelaine, January 2020
Confessions of a deeply undecided voter - Toronto Star, October 2019
Changing the org chart won’t fix health care - Toronto Star , March 2019
Why I’ve climbed on the Raptors bandwagon - Globe and Mail, June 2019
Decluttering hasn’t just left my house neater. It’s challenged my sense of who I am – Chatelaine, February 2019
I didn’t shop for a year – Here’s what I learned – Chatelaine, December 2018
What it feels like to have chronic cancer – Chatelaine September 2016
Let’s Talk About Sex - A Cancer Patient’s Perspective – Your Health Matters Sunnybrook Hospital September 2016
You’re a Survivor Until You’re Not - Patient’s View Institute, August 2016
Lost and Found in Lymphomaland – A memoir, 206 pages Amazon.com June 2015
From Lymphoma Mom to Just Mom and Holding – New York Times – Motherlode September 21, 2014
Parenting through cancer is messy business - Globe and Mail June 5, 2014
Lymphoma is the New Good News – Globe and Mail, March 2, 2014
How I Learned to Speak Cancer - Globe and Mail, March 9, 2014
Cancer as Comeuppance - Globe and Mail, March 16, 2014
Playing on the Cancer Team - Globe and Mail, March 23, 2014
From Lymphoma Mom to Just Mom and Holding – New York Times Motherlode Sept 9, 2014
Never Again Knowing a Life Without Cancer – Globe and Mail, November 16, 2014
Naked with Children New York Times, Motherlode
Taking on the nudity critics Globe and Mail, April 6, 2012
Fear Won't Keep Kids Safe, Globe and Mail, June 2, 2012
Being a Public Figure Doesn't Make Your Body Public Property Posted January 16, 2014
Two things really pissed me off this week, and I'm grateful for every moment I feel incensed about things that have nothing directly to do with me. The first is the response to Lisa Boncheck Adams' battle with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. The second...
Why Would a Parent Sign Up for a One-Way Trip to Mars? Posted July 21, 2013
I'm not a risk taker and I'm particularly not interested in the possibility-of-death-type activities that are a draw to some. There are no Everest or Denali summits in my future, no survivalist white water canoe treks to the northern wilds that require rifle training in case of polar bears.
Click "Like" if You Think Disease Is A Bad Thing! Posted April 30, 2013What's with the flood of demands to be liked on facebook? "Like" if you support human rights. My Down Syndrome sister thinks she's not beautiful, click and let's show her how pretty she is. Then there's a parade of the sick and dying collecting likes. Will it save their lives?...
An Open Letter to Kathleen Wynne Posted February 6, 2013
Dear Kathleen, I'm sorry I was so quick to imply that you were unlikely to take on the fight to end the too-long entrenched, unnecessary, and costly funding of two school board systems in Ontario. Everything I know about you so far tells me you are thoughtful,...
Who Will Stand Up and End Catholic School Funding? Posted February 5, 2013
When I first read the Toronto Star article "Catholic schools: Ontario parents fighting to have children exempt from religious studies," I wondered why Oliver Erazo sends his kids to Catholic school? And why is he spending so much energy fighting the Catholic board?
The Top Three Democracy Bloopers of 2012 Posted January 1, 2013
I've been thinking a lot about democracy lately and realize I either slept through the politics courses, misconstrued what I thought I understood, or invented my own meaning of the word. Bloopers have always been fun. A good collective laugh is a healthy thing for a society.
Does Marissa Mayer's Micro Maternity Leave Make Her a Bad Mom? Posted October 5, 2012
Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo Inc. will be back at work a week or two after the birth of her son. Is she a bad mother? Is she setting an unrealistic standard for other female executives? Something about this discussion that has exploded on every major news outlet...
The Buggy So Cool it's Giving Dads Stroller-Envy Posted September 27, 2012
I'm the mom who happily takes hand-me-downs and doesn't hesitate to buy things for my kids from Value Village. In other words; I'm not exactly the target market for high-tech, high-end strollers. But neither am I immune to bells, whistles and designer things. Everything at Pottery Barn Kids is appealing....
What Does "Having it All" Mean for Men? Posted July 16, 2012While I have grumbled in private, I've largely avoided the "having it all" discussion because I find it so annoying. If I had it all, I'd be incapable of getting dressed, faced with so many clothing choices. But school principal of the elite Upper Canada College (UCC) Jim Power's piece...
He, She, It -- Does It Really Matter What our Gender is on Passports? Posted May 16, 2012Passport Canada is considering policy changes to the gender requirement on passports. This has already happened in Australia where a third gender X (indeterminate) has been added for transgendered people. In the wake of the Australian move, folks have raised a number of concerns from security implications to...
Real Soldiers Don't Get PTSD Posted May 7, 2012I was momentarily heartened on Friday when I heard that amidst the federal government's deep cuts was some trimming of the defense budget. A little balance, I thought. So far, the slashing of the civil service has fallen heavily on policy makers, statisticians and folks that run emergency oil spill...
Canadian Politicians: Lie First, Apologize Later Posted May 2, 2012
Calls for resignation are one of our democracy's favourite proxies for taking action. Whenever there's been a screw-up, lack of accountability, bloated personal expense account, or big fat lie, someone's head on a platter is requested. Of recent note -- Ministers Bev Oda
If I Were Ford, I Wouldn't Go to Gay Pride Either Posted April 19, 2012
Would you go? Seriously, if you were Rob Ford right now would you go to Gay Pride? Even if he were to consider it, extricate himself from his entrenched positions in an attempt to make a few friends, is Gay Pride the place to go? Imagine what a few...
What's Wrong With My Vagina? Posted April 16, 2012
Jezebel's post "Your Vagina Isn't Just Too Big, Too Floppy, and Too Hairy -- It's Also Too Brown" made me laugh and want to cry, as so many of its posts do. In trashing Clean and Dry Intimate Wash, an Indian vagina-bleaching product, Jezebel draws stinging attention...
Do We Suffer from Botox of the Brain? Posted April 14, 2012
Hundreds of policy analysts including economists and social scientists are losing their jobs in the latest rounds of cuts to the federal public service. The most popular response to the news on the Globe and Mail site was the sarcastic type: "Who needs policies based on...
Can the Average Joe Produce a Better Budget? Posted March 30, 2012
To coincide with budget day in Canada, yesterday's CBC program "The Current" featured a segment on something called participatory budgeting which engages local citizens and communities in allocating funds to projects and priorities. Over the next two days New York City will host the first
I Helped Spread Kony2012 and Mike Daisey's Lies. So What? Posted March 20, 2012
Who else got sucked in by Mike Daisey's critique of Apple's armed and poisonous manufacturing operations in China? Who else was ready to take to the streets and cover the night with posters to raise awareness of the Ugandan war lord Joseph Kony and his...
Go to Prison, Get a Great Job Posted March 10, 2012
According to Robert Sampson, mandatory minimum sentencing is a great tool for getting people the education and training they need to successfully reintegrate and contribute to society. At least that was the focus of his argument in a debate with Eric Sterling on CBC's "The Current" Thursday.
Anthologies:
Who’s Your Daddy?: And other Writings on Queer Parenting The essays and interviews in Who's Your Daddy? give new meaning to our understanding of queer parenting. Contributors bring into sharp focus the multiple and meaningful ways that LGBTQ people are choosing to become parents and raise children. This is without a doubt a timely and important.
Mess: The Hospital Anthology A compelling anthology of hospital-and medical-industry themed writing, essays explore various topical subjects, including health care, the aged, families, doctors, birthing, mortality, fatality, and the growing concern for safety, service, and well-being.