since I was young my main goal was to be
a righteous human being from about the
age of 17 I wanted to be a combination
of three people Jesus Christ because he
was the truth Malcolm X because he
changed for the better and Robin Hood
because he was willing to help the poor
little did I know my life had a
different plan for me
in July of 2006 at the age of 34 I had a
stroke during the next year and a half
going through examinations I became more
frustrated and more afraid because I
didn’t know what situation I was in my
comprehension was terrible my reading
memory and understanding was impaired I
felt helpless and depleted eventually I
was sent to a hospital in London for
more diagnosis I was told that I have a
mental illness called sarcoidosis
sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease
that affects different organs in the
body my situation is very rare because
only 1% of the people who have
sarcoidosis deal with the situation I’m
dealing with which is called neuro
sarcoidosis which means that it directly
infects my brain I was also told that
there was no cure for it I was
devastated then my family doctor
suggested to get counseling from Mental
Health Canadian Mental Health
Association as I became more aware of my
situation my counselor suggested to join
mental health connections for more
rehabilitation mental health connections
is a support is a group that support
people who have mental illnesses at that
time I needed another outlet
so I became a member of MHC a that’s a
house connection sorry in time with
support from different councilors I
realized that I can change my situation
which was good but my state was terrible
my state of mind was terrible because my
self-esteem and my confidence was low I
was depressed and my interest and
motivation was practically gone I found
out at the same time I found out during
that time my brothers and I went to a
gathering to give condolence to a loved
one one of the people that I haven’t
seen in a long time told me you look
like you ate somebody it was funny to
the people who heard that comment but it
wasn’t funny to me at that time my
weight was 212 pounds before my stroke I
weighed 145 pounds I was healthy I was
fit I was sociable I was more content
and I was working I eventually became
the opposite person that I used to be I
was more isolated ashamed of myself I
was losing my will to live I felt like I
was stuck this was the worst period of
my life I wanted my situation to change
but I didn’t know how to start the
process with time and more counseling I
realized that I had to accept the
situation I was in and learned how to
adapt
I knew that overcoming adversity was
going to be difficult for me because my
lack of focus and my memory lapses I had
to put more effort to rehabilitate
myself I had to relearn some of the
things that I knew from the past the
most important thing that I learned was
that my attitude affects my thoughts and
my behavior
I realized that a negative attitude
would never give me a positive life I
know I had to become more optimistic my
attitude became more optimistic when I
started thinking things that I was
grateful for it reminded me how lucky I
was to be alive
I started thinking more of what I have
than what I don’t have I also got back
to reading positive quotes the quotes
that I wrote were very powerful to me
because it’s like the quotes were
particularly talking to me so I started
creating artful signs of quotes because
they gave me inspiration and clarity and
increased my focus also the quotes help
me to change my perception creating art
form of the quotes I write are enjoyable
and therapeutic to me by continually
getting the support and the lessons I
received from my counselor and from MHC
I noticed that I was recovering later a
fry a friend of mine gave me an
opportunity to become a volunteer at 10
friends diner to help and develop and
maintain their vegetable garden which
provides food for the diner’s kitchen to
feed their clients and for other
charitable organizations at that time I
didn’t know that 10 friends diner was a
restaurant that has a staff of employees
with different mental illnesses the
diner gives the employees an opportunity
to gain self-esteem and satisfaction by
learning skills and being part of part
of us association that helps themselves
and others by being a boss and Friends
diner my feeling of satisfaction
increased because it reminded me that
you can get a lot from giving I also
became a member of the board of
directions I’ve been a member of ten
Friends diner for over two years and I
continue to be a member as long as we
stay united lately
that thing to change has become easier
because my tolerance has increased by
accepting things that I can’t control
controlling myself is difficult enough
so why should I add other problems that
I don’t need I realized that I needed
goals I knew that I didn’t have goals I
wouldn’t have much also I knew that my
goals had to be realistic
to achieve my goals I must have more
self-awareness and discipline as long as
I continue to be my best friend I will
have a better chance to achieve my goals
my main goal is to live a happy life for
as long as I live I know that I can if I
can’t avoid death but I can make death
wait by improving my health when the
minor body is stressed or not at ease
you will have a disease recently my
health has improved by eating healthier
drinking more water
exercising my brain and my mind and my
body today I don’t feel like I’m
thirty-five forty-five years old I feel
like I’m forty-five years young really
it comes down to how much do I love
myself for true love comes within I
believe that nobody should love me more
than I love myself I should love myself
unconditionally the main reason why my
life is more satisfying is because I
have a stronger bond with my family just
recently I really was reminded that I
feel a lot more comfortable and we are
compatible and I would continue to do my
part to keep my family together now I
truly believe that my tragedy was a
blessing in disguise because dealing
with the pressure to overcome the
struggles of my life has made me
stronger I’m more grateful I’m more
humble I’m more compassionate and I’m
more optimistic I know that the choices
I make will control my destiny to make
smart choices
I have to think well to think well I
have to continue to have to gain more
knowledge understanding and wisdom for a
long time I was losing the fight against
neuro sarcoidosis because my ill was
weak and I’m willing to sacrifice the
greater good to win this fight as long
as I stay grounded and do the best I can
and accept my mistakes and my failures I
will have no regrets I put a lot of
energy to rehabilitate and discover my
rediscover myself but I would not be the
person I am today without the love and
support that I received from many people
it is very important to have people in
my life that care thank you all
[Applause]
a righteous human being from about the
age of 17 I wanted to be a combination
of three people Jesus Christ because he
was the truth Malcolm X because he
changed for the better and Robin Hood
because he was willing to help the poor
little did I know my life had a
different plan for me
in July of 2006 at the age of 34 I had a
stroke during the next year and a half
going through examinations I became more
frustrated and more afraid because I
didn’t know what situation I was in my
comprehension was terrible my reading
memory and understanding was impaired I
felt helpless and depleted eventually I
was sent to a hospital in London for
more diagnosis I was told that I have a
mental illness called sarcoidosis
sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease
that affects different organs in the
body my situation is very rare because
only 1% of the people who have
sarcoidosis deal with the situation I’m
dealing with which is called neuro
sarcoidosis which means that it directly
infects my brain I was also told that
there was no cure for it I was
devastated then my family doctor
suggested to get counseling from Mental
Health Canadian Mental Health
Association as I became more aware of my
situation my counselor suggested to join
mental health connections for more
rehabilitation mental health connections
is a support is a group that support
people who have mental illnesses at that
time I needed another outlet
so I became a member of MHC a that’s a
house connection sorry in time with
support from different councilors I
realized that I can change my situation
which was good but my state was terrible
my state of mind was terrible because my
self-esteem and my confidence was low I
was depressed and my interest and
motivation was practically gone I found
out at the same time I found out during
that time my brothers and I went to a
gathering to give condolence to a loved
one one of the people that I haven’t
seen in a long time told me you look
like you ate somebody it was funny to
the people who heard that comment but it
wasn’t funny to me at that time my
weight was 212 pounds before my stroke I
weighed 145 pounds I was healthy I was
fit I was sociable I was more content
and I was working I eventually became
the opposite person that I used to be I
was more isolated ashamed of myself I
was losing my will to live I felt like I
was stuck this was the worst period of
my life I wanted my situation to change
but I didn’t know how to start the
process with time and more counseling I
realized that I had to accept the
situation I was in and learned how to
adapt
I knew that overcoming adversity was
going to be difficult for me because my
lack of focus and my memory lapses I had
to put more effort to rehabilitate
myself I had to relearn some of the
things that I knew from the past the
most important thing that I learned was
that my attitude affects my thoughts and
my behavior
I realized that a negative attitude
would never give me a positive life I
know I had to become more optimistic my
attitude became more optimistic when I
started thinking things that I was
grateful for it reminded me how lucky I
was to be alive
I started thinking more of what I have
than what I don’t have I also got back
to reading positive quotes the quotes
that I wrote were very powerful to me
because it’s like the quotes were
particularly talking to me so I started
creating artful signs of quotes because
they gave me inspiration and clarity and
increased my focus also the quotes help
me to change my perception creating art
form of the quotes I write are enjoyable
and therapeutic to me by continually
getting the support and the lessons I
received from my counselor and from MHC
I noticed that I was recovering later a
fry a friend of mine gave me an
opportunity to become a volunteer at 10
friends diner to help and develop and
maintain their vegetable garden which
provides food for the diner’s kitchen to
feed their clients and for other
charitable organizations at that time I
didn’t know that 10 friends diner was a
restaurant that has a staff of employees
with different mental illnesses the
diner gives the employees an opportunity
to gain self-esteem and satisfaction by
learning skills and being part of part
of us association that helps themselves
and others by being a boss and Friends
diner my feeling of satisfaction
increased because it reminded me that
you can get a lot from giving I also
became a member of the board of
directions I’ve been a member of ten
Friends diner for over two years and I
continue to be a member as long as we
stay united lately
that thing to change has become easier
because my tolerance has increased by
accepting things that I can’t control
controlling myself is difficult enough
so why should I add other problems that
I don’t need I realized that I needed
goals I knew that I didn’t have goals I
wouldn’t have much also I knew that my
goals had to be realistic
to achieve my goals I must have more
self-awareness and discipline as long as
I continue to be my best friend I will
have a better chance to achieve my goals
my main goal is to live a happy life for
as long as I live I know that I can if I
can’t avoid death but I can make death
wait by improving my health when the
minor body is stressed or not at ease
you will have a disease recently my
health has improved by eating healthier
drinking more water
exercising my brain and my mind and my
body today I don’t feel like I’m
thirty-five forty-five years old I feel
like I’m forty-five years young really
it comes down to how much do I love
myself for true love comes within I
believe that nobody should love me more
than I love myself I should love myself
unconditionally the main reason why my
life is more satisfying is because I
have a stronger bond with my family just
recently I really was reminded that I
feel a lot more comfortable and we are
compatible and I would continue to do my
part to keep my family together now I
truly believe that my tragedy was a
blessing in disguise because dealing
with the pressure to overcome the
struggles of my life has made me
stronger I’m more grateful I’m more
humble I’m more compassionate and I’m
more optimistic I know that the choices
I make will control my destiny to make
smart choices
I have to think well to think well I
have to continue to have to gain more
knowledge understanding and wisdom for a
long time I was losing the fight against
neuro sarcoidosis because my ill was
weak and I’m willing to sacrifice the
greater good to win this fight as long
as I stay grounded and do the best I can
and accept my mistakes and my failures I
will have no regrets I put a lot of
energy to rehabilitate and discover my
rediscover myself but I would not be the
person I am today without the love and
support that I received from many people
it is very important to have people in
my life that care thank you all
[Applause]
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