Hello, my name is Tao Xu, and I live in Markham, Ontario, Canada.

This is not an easy request for me to make.

I am a father of two wonderful daughters. Although they are adults now, they are not able to live independently due to long-term impacts from my difficult marriage. Both of them suffer from mental health conditions. My older daughter has been hospitalized six times in the past five years, with the most recent admission on January 24, 2026, and she is still receiving treatment.

Before all of this, I had a stable and well-paying job. However, due to my daughters’ ongoing mental health challenges, I had to resign from my full-time job in order to care for them.

Unfortunately, on the morning of January 16, 2026, I suffered a sudden and severe heart attack. Without the emergency responders in Toronto and the dedicated medical teams at Markham Stouffville Hospital and Southlake Regional Health Centre (Newmarket), I likely would not be alive today. I am deeply grateful to all the healthcare professionals who saved my life.

Following major heart surgery, I also experienced kidney damage as a complication, which requires additional medication and a longer recovery period. As a result, I am unable to work or drive for at least one year, and I do not qualify for disability EI. I am grateful to have received timely support from Ontario Works. However, the current assistance of less than CAD 1,500 per month is still far from enough to cover basic living and medical-related expenses.

I am sincerely asking for help to get through this extremely difficult period. I am not a greedy person, and once I recover and return to work, I will do my best to give back and support others in need. This is my sincere promise.

Thank you for your kindness and support.