About Me
Meet Darlene Espinosa:
The Heart Behind The Daisy Club
Hi, I’m Darlene, founder and facilitator of The Daisy Club, with over 16 years in the disability community.
I spent more than a decade at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital, working with children, youth, and families as an Early Childhood Educator, Occupational Therapist Assistant, and Physiotherapist Assistant. I studied Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University and trained as a PTA and OTA at Humber College, and I still practice as an OTA today at Real Life Pediatric Occupational Therapy. I’m also a Can Fit Pro certified fitness instructor, and it’s this blend of clinical insight and a genuine love of movement that shapes everything I do.
What I love most is movement, and the spark when someone discovers what their body can do. But for me it’s never just about exercise. I love connecting with people, building genuine community, and advocating for accessibility so that everyone has a place where they belong, and I bring a real sense of fun to all of it.
I believe movement is for every body, and that belief is the heart of The Daisy Club: a virtual and in-person community for self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme individuals aged 18 and over. Together we move, laugh, and show up for one another, whether we’re in a session, dancing it out at a dance party, or catching up over brunch.
Beyond the Club, I also bring Adaptive Fitness Workshops to schools, workplaces, and community events. They’re joyful, accessible sessions that get everyone moving, laughing, and connecting.
However you move, my goal is the same: for you to feel seen, supported, and empowered to move your way. Because in The Daisy Club garden, every flower blooms differently, and that’s the beauty of it.
I started The Daisy Club because of a gap I kept running into. In my years in pediatric rehab, I watched young people thrive in their programs and then age out into a world with almost nothing built for them. But the more I looked, the more I realized this wasn’t just about that one moment. Accessible, joyful fitness is hard to find at any age.
Most fitness spaces simply aren’t built with every body in mind. I wanted somewhere disabled women, non-binary, and trans-femme adults could move, belong, and have fun, at every stage of life, whether you’re in your twenties, thirties, or beyond. The Daisy Club is that place.
I’d love to connect, whether you’re curious about The Daisy Club, thinking about joining, or just want to say hi.
Why I Started The Daisy Club
The vision is for every member to become a Daisy—rooted firmly in the earth and supported by a community of other Daisies.