Karen Whitford had no idea she would end up in the national spotlight for doing what comes naturally to her: being a mother.
But when she got the email stating she was nominated as one of eight finalists for Wal-Mart Canada’s Mom of the Year award, she was shocked and happy.
“I really didn’t know I was nominated until the email arrived,” Whitford said.
“I was never the little girl who wanted to grow up to be a mommy, but the minute I became pregnant I knew I would devote my life to my children.”
Nominated by her son Zak, 19, who saw the television promotion for the contest, Karen was in competition against 17,000 other nominees. Her selection was based on a brief biography and photo of Karen with Zak and her other son, 15-year-old Kavan.
In the bio, Zak describes his mother’s efforts to raise her children with care.
“My mom is the most incredible and compassionate person and amazing mom,” Zak wrote. “Her caring spirit shines through all her kind acts, but where she really shines is as our Mom.
“Both my brother and I have special needs and my mom works so hard to make our lives better – like home schooling my brother to help him and helping me start a business that raises money for cancer. Thanks to her, I’m now in the top of my class in college.”
Karen explained homeschooling Kavan for a year was something she was happy to do.
“It helped him academically. It helped his self-confidence and gave him so many great opportunities,” she said.
Now a student at Centre Wellington District High School, Kavan credits his mother’s contribution to his future. “She is just the world’s greatest mother. I just love her so much,” Kavan said. “She goes out her way to make our lives easier. She helped us be who we are.”
Zak adds, “It’s all the little things she did when we were kids. She dedicated her life to bettering our chances in the world.”
“I was really touched when I saw the bio,” Karen said.
It’s not just what she did for her children that impressed the judges – it was also the generosity she has shown to her extended family.
When her sister, Sharon Mace, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and required a transplant, Karen didn’t hesitate to donate her kidney. As a result, Mace’s life was extended by seven and a half more years, before she passed away at age 57.
“I was able to give her seven years to really enjoy her family,” Karen said, noting it taught her the value of time with her own children.
Karen’s father passed away from kidney disease at the age of 50, when she was just three years old. Two of her brothers are also living with the disease – one is on home-dialysis and another has received a transplant.
Karen adds kidney disease has now appeared in the next generation of her family too, making it a cause she continues to champion.
The loss of her sister also encouraged Karen to volunteer with the No One Dies Alone support program at the Wellington Terrace in Aboyne.
She also supports community environmental organizations and other groups, including the Guelph Humane Society and Canadian Cancer Society.
Karen’s story caught the attention of the judges and the online community, earning her a place among the top eight finalists, which comes with a $10,000 donation to the charity of her choice and another $10,000 for herself.
With no hesitation, she listed the Kidney Foundation of Canada as her charity.
“The Kidney Foundation has helped my family a lot. I’m really excited,” she said.
When asked how she will spend her own winnings, Karen had a generous plan.
“On the top of my list to buy with the prize money is a computer for my brother Hugh,” Karen said. “He is on home dialysis eight hours a day, every other day, and is quite cut off from the world because he doesn’t drive.”
She also plans to do something nice with her husband, Mark, and for her family.
On Sept. 29 she will learn if her nomination wins her the ultimate prize of a $100,000 charity donation, which she said would also go to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
An awards gala will be held in Toronto to celebrate the winner from the eight finalists.
While Karen is satisfied with her nomination and her win to date, she admits that if she won the title of Wal-Mart Mom of the Year, her ability to benefit the kidney foundation would be, “ a chance of a lifetime. It’s another thing I could be proud of in my life.”
But nothing will top her role as mother, and for that, Karen credits her own mother as her role model.
“I had a really good example,” she said, adding, “You work really hard every day to make their lives better and do your very best as a mom.”
In the bio, Zak summarizes Karen’s role as follows: “Her heart’s enormous and she is unique in her capacity to care for others and her devotion to us. She never asks for any recognition and most people don’t realize how much she does. She has a way of making the impossible possible and without her I’m afraid of where I might be. She is my hero.”
When asked about her parenting philosophy, Karen claims her view was simply to have fun, to have clear boundaries and to always try to listen.
“They’ve always had a voice,” she said of her communication with her sons.
“Motherhood is the ultimate joy. It is pride. It is pure love. It is fun,” she added. “One day you naturally let go. Part of you lets them go, but another part of you will always hold on.”
In anticipation of the Sept. 29 decision, Karen said, “It’s all very exciting.”
But she knows the real prize for any mother is a job well done and considering that, she is already a confident winner.
