Kay Dawson is a slight woman with a kind smile, blessed with the Irish knack for conversation and storytelling. In her tidy room at The Village of Aspen Lake, she reminisces about the winding path that led her from her parents’ home in Ireland to England, where she fell in love with a handsome man named Richard. Eventually, they crossed the Atlantic to Canada with four young children in tow, navigating every rise of fortune and each unexpected setback with unwavering faith and a deep love of family.
Kay has certainly faced more than her share of challenges, but anyone who meets her is instantly struck by the gentle optimism that seems to radiate through everything she does.
She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis not long after arriving in Canada nearly 50 years ago. And while living with a chronic illness has shaped parts of her journey, it has never defined how she sees herself. From the moment she arrived at Aspen Lake, not long after her beloved Richard passed away from cancer, her positivity, determination, and warmth have become part of the community’s heartbeat. In her humble approach to each day that lies ahead, she carries forward a message she has lived by for decades – one she shares with a smile and a spark of pride:
“I may have MS, but MS doesn’t have me.”
It isn’t just a quote for Kay; it is the foundation of how she chooses to live. Every morning, she begins with movement, stretching, exercising, and pushing her body in whatever ways she can. She's in the fitness centre nearly every day, pushing herself alongside team members within the Program for Active Living because she knows staying active keeps her strong, but it also nourishes her mindset.
“It’s important to keep going,” she often says. “Even when it’s hard, you find something you can do—and you do it. That’s how you stay yourself.”
Over time, team members and fellow residents have come to see Kay as a quiet source of encouragement. She never dismisses the realities of her challenges, yet she refuses to let them overshadow the joy she continues to find in everyday moments: a good conversation, a visit from family, the laughter of neighbours, or simply the feeling of having accomplished something meaningful that day.
Her approach reminds others that optimism isn’t about pretending things are easy, it’s about choosing where to place your energy. For Kay, that energy is always directed forward.
“I just want to make the most of every day,” she says. “That’s the goal. That’s what keeps me going.”
Throughout the Village, her positive outlook flows outward, inspiring others to move, to smile, to push themselves just a little, and to focus on the pieces of life that bring purpose and pride.
Kay may live with MS and she has endured profound loss, but the story she writes each day is one of strength, perseverance, and joy. In the way she carries herself and in the philosophy she embodies, she offers a living example of faith and optimism worth emulating.
