A Mother’s Promise
At the 2024 Speaker Slam® Grand Slam, the Inspirational Speaking Finals held at CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Danielle Campo McLeod delivered “A Mother’s Promise” and was named #1 Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
Transcript
we headed into the specialist office I had been falling all the time but my mom was sure it was nothing she thought it was flat-footed just like my dad even at the age of two my mom said I was so excited to know that after the appointment we'd be off to buy pink sparkly shoes the doctor came into the room took one look at me walking in said this child has muscular distrophy my mother mother's World instantly shattered overcome by fear because of years of watching the Jerry Lewis ton she believed that children with muscular distrophy don't survive her dreams her dreams slipping away when
my mother was pregnant for me people would ask her do you want a boy or a girl she'd smile and say oh I don't care as as long as they're healthy but after having two boys of course deep down she wanted a beautiful baby girl dreams of pink dresses ballet slippers and sparkly shoes slipping away because all the things that my mom dreamt for me became too difficult they were replaced by a terrifying diagnosis body casts surgeries and countless hours of pain painful physiotherapy that is every parent's worst nightmare isn't it watching your child cry out in pain unable to fix it my parents brought
me to the pool their only goal was to help me move my muscles and ease the pain but the water became my life in the water I didn't have a disability I was free I was where I belonged and I was with my people my love for the water and competitive Drive pushed me to become a three-time par Olympic gold medalist at the height of my career at the height of my career I held eight world records and won a total of 17 par Olympic and World Championship medals my mom's love and courage taught me to push through every struggle her strength and her faith
shaped the person I am and my desire to become a mom with the reality of muscular distrophy I went through 10 years of genetic testing to ensure that my children would not have this diagnosis when the doctors told us there was a 0% chance my husband and I I were excited to start our family in 2016 we welcomed our beautiful baby boy Corbin and then another son Samson and finally history seemed to repeat itself as we welcomed our beautiful baby girl Morgan Morgan's birth was perfect my recovery was anything but a severe sepsis infection left me in a hospital bed with only a 10% chance
of survival and what 10 years of genetic testing hadn't done one single test did I had been wrongfully diagnosed I in fact had spinal muscular atrophy and now my children had a 50% chance of inheriting it my three perfect healthy children thoughts of ballet classes and hockey lessons slipping away because in reality only one of my children would escape the diagnosis I relived every painful moment of living with a disability knowing that my children would now walk that same path I was angry I was mad but the guilt I had brought this to my husband and to my children and they would suffer because of
me why them why me why does it have to be so hard having walked this road and even stumbled I realized that I am the perfect person I can and I will guide them through this as their mother I will teach them to turn every strength and every difficult moment and so that when the world says no my babies will say watch me go bravery as a mother is carrying the weight of these sacrifices and these struggles and Rising with love and strength no matter the obstacle in front of you this is not our duty but a privilege and a legacy we build with each
and every step and just like my mom I will be brave thank you
Transcript generated from the recording and shown as captured, without added punctuation. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.
