Rebecca Wood is the coordinator of the Peer Support Program and coordinator of the Parenting with a Disability Network at the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto. She is also a Toronto-based writer whose work explores what it means to exist in a body with multiple chronic illnesses and episodic disability. Her work can be found in publications including Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature, Room Magazine, The Whitewall Review, Corporeal, Feels Zine and Poetry Pause. Her debut poetry collection Multimorbid was published by kith books in May 2026.
We are excited to share our conversation with Rebecca about her work at CILT, her book, and civic engagement with the upcoming City of Toronto election.
As the Coordinator of the Parenting with a Disability Network (PDN) and Peer Support Coordinator, could you tell us about the programs you run?
In my role at CILT I provide 1:1 peer support, resources and referrals to consumers. I coordinate monthly cross-disability peer support groups; CILT Peer Connect, Peer Support for Parents with Disabilities (in partnership with Vibrant Community Health) and the Disabled Writers’ Drop In. I consult with and provide presentations to service providers wanting to build their capacity in supporting disabled parents and who want to understand CILT programs. I also represent our community on committees and research advisory groups.
CILT is a resource centre so all of the programs I run include resource sharing to ensure people are informed about choices. The PDN Resource Documentincludes topics like adaptive equipment, Nurturing Assistance, parent recommended books for adults and for children and municipally run programs for parents and children.
You also recently published your first book, Multimorbid, earlier this year. Could you tell us more about the book and where readers can find it?
Writing has been a meaningful way for me to connect to community and share my lived experience and it has been very exciting to have my first book out with kith books this year. Multimorbid was written during a time when I was extremely immunocompromised and isolated and is about how overwhelming it can be to navigate multiple illnesses, multiple medical professionals, and multiple medications. I play with different poetic forms, rhythm of language and clever wordplay, to explore the complexities of seeking, asking for, and receiving care. It has been amazing to receive feedback from readers that my work resonates with their experience.
Signed copies of Multimorbid are available from Toronto-based book sellers Sick Stories or can be ordered through kith books. Low-cost ebooks here.
Why do you think it’s important to engage with your local candidates as we head into Toronto’s next municipal election?
Every community in our city includes disabled people and yet access is often missing or an afterthought. For example, the statistics in Ontario (based on U of T study published in 2024) are that 1 in 8 birthing parents has a disability and yet in my work, I am often supporting parents to figure out how they are going to navigate access or request accommodations in municipally run programs meant to support them and their children. It’s important to me to engage with local candidates to work to ensure cross-disability access is part of planning, staff training and implementation in all programs and services for parents in our city because parents with disabilities exist!