Bissell Centre Sparks Conversations about FASD with Red Shoe Walk

Bissell Centre (in partnership with Unlimited Potential – Open Arms, the Edmonton and Area Fetal Alcohol Network, and CanFASD Canada’s FASD Research Network) is holding its Red Shoe Walk on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, with opening reception starting at 12:30 p.m. and the walk beginning at 1:00 p.m. The event takes place at Sir Winston Churchill Square in front of Edmonton City Hall and strolls through downtown Edmonton, aiming to spark conversations about FASD.   

“These conversations about FASD are important because of how widespread this disability can be,” says Sophia Mejia, Manager of Specialized Services at Bissell Centre. “Approximately four per cent of people in Canada have FASD — that’s around 1.6 million people. It’s a highly misunderstood disability and no two people with FASD are alike.”   

Alcohol slows down development, both physically and mentally. This means how FASD affects a person is highly individualized, often requiring individualized programs and supports for healthy outcomes.   

Bissell Centre’s programs and services are informed by a strengths-based lens to better support people with FASD. This includes programs specifically catered to people with FASD such as the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services (FASS) advocacy and mentorship program, the permanent supportive housing site Hope Terrace, and the new supportive recovery house Den of Willows. These programs help work towards Bissell Centre’s vision to eliminate poverty in the community. 

“Everyone has unique strengths and our wraparound supports help individuals with FASD uncover their strengths and connect with community to find their stability,” says Mejia. “The Red Shoe Walk is meant to spark conversations about FASD and demonstrate how wraparound programs and supportive living can help so many people with healthy outcomes and find opportunities to play a meaningful role in their communities.”