OTTAWA -- Veteran Coun. Diane Deans made a rare public appearance amid her battle with ovarian cancer to host her annual International Women’s Day breakfast.
Deans took the stage as the keynote speaker for the event, where she told the audience she in on the road to recovery.
“I’m at the very end of treatment,” she said.
“Tomorrow is my last chemotherapy treatment… I’ve got my energy back, last summer I was so sick, but now I feel really good.”
A member at Ottawa City Hall for more than two decades now, Deans says she can’t wait to return to her duties. She says LRT will be a top priority for her when she does.
“It’s so hard to watch from the sidelines because city building is so important to me and this has gone terribly wrong,” said Deans.
“I feel responsible for it as well and I want to be there – I want to be there creating the solutions and making public transit work for this city.”
Anyone who watches council knows Deans is passionate about this city. Asked why she chose to do her first event outside of City Hall, she said she has attended her breakfast for 25 years and couldn’t miss one now.
“The women in the south-end of the city have always seen me on International Women’s Day and they give me energy,” said Deans.
As for her return to work, the councillor has been told by her doctor to ease back into it.
“He impressed upon me the importance of recovery because once you go through all of the surgery and chemotherapy, your body is weakened by that and you need to take time to heal.”
Deans says she will take several months to regain her strength before returning to City Hall with the "fighting spirit" that she is recognized for.
Mayor Jim Watson wished his colleague well on her journey to recovery. Watson says he is ready for her return, even if she is often a strong opponent of his.
“City council is not a team party,” said Watson at Deans breakfast..
“Diane is very, very strong willed and has a lot of strong opinions and represents her community very, very well.”
