Bissell Centre leads Red Shoe Rock Walk to draw attention to FASD
People wearing red shoes take part in the Red Shoes Rock Walk in Edmonton on Sept. 9, 2024. (Brandon Lynch / CTV News Edmonton)
The Bissell Centre tried to catch the attention of downtown Edmontonians on Monday with a 2.2-kilometre walk through the city's centre in bright red shoes.
The group of about 75 were following in the footsteps of RJ Formanek, an Ontario man with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) who wore red shoes with the hope of starting conversations about FASD and who inspired the official awareness initiative known as the Red Shoes Rock Walk in 2013.
"With this being a bit of a stigmatized and misunderstood condition, this visibility does help spark conversation and does help increase that interest," Bissell Centre spokesperson Chris Schieman told CTV News Edmonton.
According to the government, about four per cent of Canadians – 174,000 Albertans – live with FASD, although the number is believed to be underestimated because of the stigma surrounding the condition.
Schieman added, "(The visibility does) help people know these are just more folks that are part of the community and just hoping to live with a good quality of life like anyone else."
Bissell Centre led the walk on Monday – International FASD Awareness Day – as a partner of the Alberta Fetal Alcohol Network and operator of Hope Terrace, a supportive living facility in King Edward Park meant to reduce housing barriers and provide stable housing to people with FASD.
FASD is caused when a fetus is exposed to alcohol. People with the disability may experience impacts to their memory, executive function, emotional regulation, and more.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Brandon Lynch
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