Mr. Speaker, I rise today in praise of a young Canadian, Stephanie Dotto, a resident of Kirkland, Quebec in my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis.
At age 15, Stéphanie learned about the terrible toll poverty and disease have taken on Malawi.
Stephanie's compassion for the plight of the people of Malawi inspired her to take action. In March 2003 after leading a community fundraising campaign, she accumulated enough money to buy plane tickets to Malawi for herself and her father. She took with her 1,000 physician travel packs put together by Health Partners International. Each pack contained enough medicine to treat one child or adult. She also brought toothbrushes, soccer balls, pencils and other staples to the improve the lives of children in Malawi.
In May 2004, she returned to Malawi with more supplies and worked in a village hospital.
Now a nursing student, Stephanie has pledged to return to Malawi to put her newly acquired nursing skills to work.
For her service to others she was recently named West Islander of the Year 2004 by the West Island Chronicle .
Stephanie Dotto is a role model not only for young people, but for all Canadians.