Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder impacts more Canadians than autism, cerebral palsy and down syndrome combined

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day is being held Sept. 9. 

FASD Day, and the month of September, is devoted to raising awareness and challenging current misinformation and stigma surrounding FASD. 

Dufferin Wellington Guelph FASD encourages everyone to wear red; red shoes, red shirts, anything red, to show your support for individuals with FASD. 

Take a photo showing your support and tag us on Facebook with hashtag
#DWGFASD for the chance to win a gift card. 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong disability that affects the brain and body of people who were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. Each person with FASD has unique strengths and challenges and may need support and resources to help them succeed in different parts of their daily lives.

Current studies and research suggest that up to 4 per cent of individuals in Canada are living with FASD (1 in 25 or 1,451,600 Canadians), and over 60 per cent of Canadian pregnancies are unplanned. Therefore, guidelines from CanFASD suggest we refrain from stating that FASD is 100 per cent preventable. 

Thanks to Canadian educator and advocate RJ Formanek for creating the Red Shoes Rock campaign. RJ wore red shoes on an international stage to talk about FASD. Since then, Red Shoes Rock has become recognized internationally as a way to bring attention to this disability. For RJ, wearing red shoes is a symbol of power and strength. As such, wearing red shoes, or anything red, has now become acknowledged as a symbol of FASD Awareness.   

For more information about Dufferin Wellington Guelph FASD services, please visit dufferinwellingtonfasd.com, or you can contact FASD Coordinator Tara Leskey at tara.leskey@dcafs.on.ca (519-941-1530 ext 237) or Jennie Hilts at jennie.hilts@dcafs.on.ca (519941-1530 ext 386).