Celebrating resilience

By Lynda Banning
THUNDER BAY – International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day takes place September 9th every year. Many native and mainstream organizations work together to host our annual Honouring Mothers Mini Pow Wow at Marina Park, Thunder Bay.

This year organizers and participants were honoured to hear Kathy Labrador share her story about living with FASD.

Kathy’s story could be seen as a sad one. She struggled in school and was labeled the “R” word. She is legally blind and deaf. Sadly, these are just some of the damaging effects on a developing baby when a mother drinks while pregnant. It is obvious that Kathy has faced lifelong challenges. Now that’s enough bad news.

The good news is Kathy didn’t give up. She found a way to succeed in a world that didn’t see much hope for her future. She is happy. She is an artist in a variety of genres. The one thing that really stood out in Kathy’s story is that she would not change a thing about her life. Her struggles made her who she is today and she is totally ok with that. So this is really a story about resilience and success.

Kathy asks women to think about her life and please don’t drink during pregnancy. She asked participants to speak up and tell others about the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy. Think about the baby that is growing and developing. Give that child a chance to have the healthy development that Kathy herself didn’t get to have.

Lynda Banning works for the Union of Ontario Indians in the Fort William First Nation Satellite Office. She is the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Regional Program Worker for the Northern Superior Region. She may be contacted by phone at 807-623-8887 or by email at lynda.banning@anishinabek.ca