Our History
Who is the person behind MLM? Back in 2009, I, a professional photographer, found myself nearly crippled by chronic bouts of extreme unexplainable pain. As my doctors and specialists struggled in vain to find the right diagnosis, I couldn’t stop myself from dwelling on my own mortality. Despite the thousands of photographs I had taken over the course of my professional career, I was shocked to realize that if I were to suddenly pass away, there would be virtually no current photographic record of my existence—leaving my family with nothing to remember me by.
Over time I was given 2 separate diagnosis’s and am able to deal with the pain sort of (though the cause remains partially undiagnosed to this day), but I couldn’t stop from dwelling on how my family would keep my memory alive if something were to happen to me. Inspired by this I decided to form The Maple Leaf Mission a not for profit organization devoted to giving deserving families “The Gift of Life in Pictures” so they too have memories that will live on forever.
I am a 32 year-old, mother of three, ages 13, 11 and 5 who lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. During my teens I went through the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC Warrior) program which changed my life before becoming an award-winning competitive hairdresser. I eventually left hairdressing to become an obstetric nurse, only to discover my true passion in professional photography and becoming an Emergency Room Nurse, which led me to eventually found The Maple Leaf Mission. Since then my life has been focused on turning MLM into a truly international organization capable of giving “The Gift of Life in Pictures” all over the world.
2 of my 3 own children qualified for a session, one has a genetic condition that has been debilitating and devastating due to bullying from other children, but has a soft wonderful heart and the other has a life threatening medical issue that causes her lungs to collapse randomly.
I am on the path to recovery (fingers crossed) and hopefully my illness will not be the main focus of my life for very much longer. Healing and being a great mom to my family is top priority right now along with making MLM a great success.

