By Parker Charles
In 1997, Nancy Huggett chronicled the daily adventures of raising her daughter Jessie, who has Down Syndrome, for CBC Radio’s flagship program Morningside. Those segments, read by Nancy herself (once an on-air personality at CKCU), made a sizeable impact on both management and the public. When they were published in a literary tie-in (The Morningside Years), her lifelong dream of being a career writer (after flirtations with psychology and photography) was belatedly realized.
Nancy’s ensuing work wouldn’t appear for another 25 years.
Such is the involved nature of caregiving. Yes, there was help for Jessie—early infant development workers, educational and social facilitators, PSWs and more. But to contradict an old saying, it takes more than a whole village to raise a child, at least one with special needs, at least one whose parents insist she be integrated into the mainstream, from schools to Girl Guides to the workforce.
And just when a state of semi-independence was reached, allowing mom to write, those “special needs” got even more special. After suffering a series of small strokes, it was discovered that Jessie, by now in her late 20s, also suffered from Moyamoya, a rare neurodegenerative disorder curtailing blood flow to the brain. High-risk surgery was performed, which in turn brought on another, bigger post-op stroke. Enter more therapists and more caregivers. And guess who was coordinating all of that?
Now, though, Jessie, due to her mother’s love and diligence, has recovered enough to afford mom a little breathing room—or in Nancy’s case, writing room. To say that Nancy Huggett the writer picked up where she left off a quarter century ago would be an understatement. After a mere two years crafting creative non-fiction and poetry, she’s established herself as a nationally recognized voice. This past summer, she won the prestigious 2024 RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award, becoming the oldest-ever recipient at age 66.
The winning work, Revelation, is rooted, like her first effort back in the day, in the rollercoaster ride of raising Jessie. The jury lauded its “interplay of illness and healing,” citing its “powerful emotional resonance and its brave exploration of a felt experience.”
Nancy, who beat out close to 600 other candidates for the honour, is still stunned about her win. “I’m shocked!” she semi-laughs. “We live in a society in which ageism is so prevalent. So, I was surprised, but very proud, to be recognized as an ‘emerging artist.’ I think it sends out an important message: Never give up!”
The same way that Nancy, or any caregiver, never gives up on the object of their blood, sweat and tears. “My writing is about the tension between exhaustion and love,” she self-analyses. It’s an emotional state all too familiar to the over five million non-professionals in Canada looking after others.
While it was never Nancy’s intention to write a themed collection, the competition required it. “I never thought I’d complete a book,” she confesses. “I don’t tackle major projects. I write small things that sometimes just add up and belong together.”
Those small things are written over stolen moments, including a crucial block between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. day in, day out. “Routine is everything for me,” she says, “even if it’s hard to hold on to. I can get called away at any time.” By Jessie she means, who sometimes rises earlier than usual to start dictating the day. In the evenings, after her husband takes over the family beat, Nancy participates in online workshops she calls one of the silver linings of the pandemic. “As awful as the onset of COVID was, it created this incredible conduit to creative community. I’m involved with writers from all over North America who offer incredible feedback. It’s amazing how much they shape my pieces.”
Another collaborator will soon be a part of Nancy’s life after she hooks up with the mentor facilitated by the PEN Canada award. “It’s tough to find support when you’re older,” Huggett explains. “You’re not viewed as some new talent just starting out, even if you are. I’m extremely grateful to PEN for making that happen.”
Together, they’ll polish Huggett’s winning collection in hopes of procuring a publisher. After that, she’ll start work on an essay collection. The theme again will be caregiving, an experience she’s able to posit in a less poetic but still resonant way: “First, the person you’re supporting is reshaped, then, in another way, you’re reshaped. My work is about that mutual becoming.”
