Thanks to her community work for children and young parents in need, a Maskwacis resident had the honor of being named to the Premiers Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Alison Cutknife has a daughter born with cerebral palsy 25 years ago, and since her birth Cutknife has worked hard raising awareness in her community about the challenges parents face caring for a child with a disability.

She says she started the first early childhood intervention program on the reserve.

“The purpose of the group was to support families, help them get to appointments, and just give support to families so that their child can progress. There are lots of services out in the world, and I show them how to access those services, and how to help your child at home.”

The council meets 4 times a year face to face, and she's happy she's able to help disabled people in her area, especially in their rural settings.

Cutknife says she is happy to be the voice of the unique challenges facing persons with disabilities in rural communities.

“Knowing my community and knowing what’s not available, and what should be available for people, I mean I can raise that issue within the council, and the council could take it to the premier to let them know that the rural people also need services. People in cities have different concerns than those living in the rural communities.”

Sunday is International Day of Disabled Persons. Cutknife encourages you to take in any of the events happening that day across Central Alberta.

For more information on International Day of Disabled Persons, you can visit the Government of Alberta’s website.