Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is thrilled to celebrate and congratulate Heather Burns, a youth leader and senior coordinator of engagement at Holland Bloorview’s Foundation, for winning the prestigious Helen Henderson literary award granted by the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT).

This award recognizes an outstanding piece of writing related to raising public awareness of a disability issue or barrier. Heather won the awardfor her short story, Sink or Swim – A journey of acceptance. The story was part of As I Live and Breathe, a collection of short stories written by authors with lived experience of disability. The stories cover a wide range of topics and highlight how there are common themes within the experiences of disability, even though disability is a deeply personal experience.

“I am grateful for the contributions of our youth leaders; they offer their lived experience with humility and vulnerability with the clear purpose of creating change for future generations of kids and youth with disabilities, so I hope you will join me in congratulating Heather,” says Dolly Menna-Dack, bioethicist and manager, youth engagement strategy, Holland Bloorview. In addition, Dolly observed that Holland Bloorview’s youth engagement strategy enables youth-aged current and former clients to turn their lived experience into change for future generations. “It provides a platform for youth leaders to reflect on growing up with disability. It also allows them to share their insights and their lived experiences to advise on programs, services and research that impact the lives of kids and youth with disabilities,” she said.

Upon receiving the award, Heather expressed profound gratitude for the recognition and for the opportunities afforded to her at Holland Bloorview, where she has found the inspiration to create more awareness about disability and inclusion. We spoke with Heather about the significance of this recognition, both personally and professionally:

Congratulations on winning the prestigious Helen Henderson literary award! How do you feel about being recognized and what does this award mean to you?

Thank you! I’m honoured that my story is being recognized. CILT is run by and for disabled people, so receiving the Helen Henderson Literary Award from them is very meaningful to me. Hearing that my story is relatable to others is a wonderful feeling.

This award recognizes an outstanding piece of writing related to raising public awareness of a disability issue or barrier. You won the award for your short story Sink or Swim – A journey of acceptance. Can you tell us more about the story and the inspiration behind it?

Sink or Swim is about my personal experience of navigating internalized ableism and trying to find my place in a world filled with disability stigma. I have always been my biggest critic and it took a while to accept and be proud that I’m disabled. Internalized ableism is something I’ve dealt with my entire life but for a long time I never believed that I could talk about it, so finally writing about it felt cathartic.

What do you believe makes your story compelling and impactful?

Internalized ableism is something that many disabled people experience, so I think the relatability of my story is what makes it compelling. Being able to see yourself in someone else’s experience can make you feel less alone.

What message were you hoping to convey through your winning piece?

I think the biggest message I wanted to share in Sink or Swim is that we all deserve to take up space, share our voice and find our place in the world.

Why is it important to write stories about disability?

Disability representation is so important. When done correctly, it can help fight ableism and negative stereotypes. It can help other disabled people feel seen and heard. I hope more stories about disability, by disabled authors, continue to be published. The more people who read about our experiences, the better positioned we are to fight stigma and become a more inclusive and accessible world.

Why do you think honoring the legacy of such individuals as Helen Henderson is important?

Helen Henderson was an incredible disability activist. We should always honour the legacies of disabled people who came before us and helped spotlight the issues that needed attention in order to make things better for the rest of us.

How do you plan to leverage this award to make a positive impact through your work at Holland Bloorview?

I hope to continue to encourage other youth with disabilities to feel comfortable speaking up and advocating for themselves.

What is your greatest motivation in your work at Holland Bloorview and in your writing?

My greatest motivation is the feeling that I’m contributing to a shared purpose. Whether I’m collaborating with colleagues about a new idea or writing something that resonates with people, it’s a joy to be a part of a team that is so dedicated to the work that we do. 

Can you share a pivotal point in your career that left a lasting impact on you?

Coming to work at Holland Bloorview has been pivotal to my career. Being in a place where disability is celebrated and where I have disabled friends and mentors to talk to – people who really just ‘get it’ – has been so important to me. Everyone cares so deeply about the work we do. I don’t know if I’d be in the same place of disability acceptance and pride if I didn’t start working here. It has brought out confidence in me that I didn’t have before.

For aspiring writers hoping to achieve similar recognition, do you have any advice or words of wisdom based on your own experience as a winner for your writing?

Putting yourself out there takes courage. I try to tell at least one person about what I want to do, which helps me hold myself accountable and be brave enough to actually do it. It works pretty well!

Can you share some of your aspirations and goals for the future?

I hope to keep growing my career at Holland Bloorview! It means a lot to me to work in the same place that gave so much to me when I was a kid.

Any special words of gratitude or special message to your colleagues and peers for their support in your career?

Thank you to Dolly Menna-Dack, Mary Anderson and the youth leaders for creating a space where I felt safe and supported to be creative and share my story. This wouldn’t have been possible without them. I’d also like to thank the wonderful colleagues I’ve had over the past four years at Holland Bloorview. Their kindness, encouragement and mentorship have been instrumental in my career and I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people I can look up to and learn from every day.

Learn more about Holland Bloorview’s youth engagement strategy 

To read the first page of each of the short stories in As I Live and Breathe or to order a full copy go to our website.

To learn more about the award, go to CILT website.