Healthy Community in Standoff
June 25, 2007
By pwrdf
STORIES from PWRDF PARTNERS in the Canadian Development Program January 2005
Standoff is the only town in the Kainai Nation (Blood Reserve). It is the centre for businesses, Blood Tribe agencies, police, fire and educational services. 8,000 members of the Kainai nation live on reserve, with an additional 2,000 off reserve, mostly in neighbouring southern Albertan towns. Approximately forty-three percent are under the age of nineteen.
In June 1999, a group of concerned parents from the Blood Reserve felt there wasn’t enough information available to them about Alcohol Related Brain Injury/Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (ARBI/FAS). With Blood Tribe Education (Kainai Board of Education) and Blood Reserve Social Service Agencies, they formed the Kainai ARBI/FAS Committee to support families whose children were born with ARBI/FAS . They founded the “Circle of Friends” FAS Parent Support Group and began developing a work plan integrating Kainaiwa values to help prevent the spread of ARBI/FAS in the Blood Reserve community.
“I have attended meetings for parents who have children or family members who are FAS. I also have a son who has fetal alcohol syndrome. I was selected to attend a conference in Manitoba with Debi Small Eyes. It was very good. I learned a lot about FAS and I got some very good ideas about raising a child who is FAS. I do not blame myself anymore for his condition but look forward to raising him to be the best that he can be. What I learn from talking with other parents helps me cope with day to day living with an FAS child. I am so glad I am a part of the parent support groups.“
April Goodrider, FAS Parent Support Group
“I went to a FAS meeting with my grandma. I listened to what the people were saying. My mother drank beer when I was in her tummy. I am FAS. My grandma treats me really good and tells me why sometimes I can’t do some things. She doesn’t get mad at me. I am really happy to live with her. I am glad I got to go to one of her meetings. I told all my friends and my teachers why it is hard for me to remember.”
Cameron Troy Small Eyes, FAS Parent Support Group
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