'Everyone plays a part': Yukon organizations gather in support of FASD awareness day

People gathered in Whitehorse's Shipyards Park on Monday to mark Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) awareness day.

The day is marked annually on Sep. 9 and this year was the 25th anniversary. The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of Yukon (FASSY) held a community barbecue to mark the occasion. 

Neena Mackinnon, FASSY's executive director, says that while the organization always makes sure "there's a good meal for folks" on the occasion, this year's awareness day was geared toward increasing knowledge of FASD.

"Last year I wasn't as long in the role as I am now and our awareness day was quite minimal. We didn't really have a lot of the awareness-raising," Mackinnon said.

"I think this year we really had a lot more community engagement, people that want to show that they are here to support people living with FASD."

A number of local and national organizations participated in the event as a show of support, including the Canadian Revenue Agency, Yukon Learn, and Inclusion Yukon. 

According to the Canadian FASD Research Network, the disorder affects four per cent of all Canadians. The disorder affects people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb; it can impact physical and mental health, as well as cognitive ability, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Marina Bailey, the Council of Yukon First Nation's FASD action plan coordinator, says the day is an important way to help dispel myths about the disorder.

"It's not a First Nations problem exclusively, it's across the world, but it does require a different learning technique," Bailey said.  

She adds that people living with FASD can be creative, artistic and expressive.

Attendees of the barbecue on Monday also praised FASSY for the effectiveness of its outreach programs, and its continued support of Whitehorse's FASD community since the organization's founding in 1996.

"I'd probably be in a lot worse situation in my life than where I'd be right now if it wasn't for FASSY," said Fred Stick Jr., who has been a client of FASSY since its inception, and was recently hired as a peer support worker.

He says that growing up, he was often told that his only two options in life were homelessness or prison.

A 2016 study by the Yukon Government found that 17.5 per cent of people within the territory's justice system live with FASD, including those incarcerated and on community supervision orders.

Currently, a bill that would establish a national framework on FASD has passed two readings by the Senate. Bill S-253 was first introduced in October 2022 by Sen. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia.

Marina Bailey said the turnout at the Whitehorse event on Monday shows "this is becoming a real national issue."

The theme of this year's FASD awareness day was "everyone plays a part," which Mackinnon said was reflected nationally.

"We all need to be aware of this disability, how we can better support people so that we're creating communities that are more inclusive for everybody," Mackinnon said.