VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) honoured three caregiving heroes – Suzanne Retter of Oshawa, Fiona Conely of Scarborough and Memoona Ismail of Toronto –who won this year’s Heart of Home Care Award at the not-for-profit’s annual event on April 25, 2016. The award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of a friend or family member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide a loved one who is disabled, elderly, or chronically ill, with the support needed to live at home with more independence.

Fiona Conely

When her son Jason was only four months old, this young mother learned that he had Cerebral Palsy. But despite the odds, Fiona has persevered to create a happy, hopeful life for herself and her (now) adult son.

Memoona (Mona) Ismail

When her father-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Mona set out to ensure his final years were filled with peace, comfort and dance.

Suzanne Retter

Suzanne became fast friends with Bert, originally from Tobago, through a shared love of photography. So when Bert was diagnosed with stage four cancer, her amazing response, as she puts it, “was the human thing to do.”