[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” background_image=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/fasdhousing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/04\/second-day-6-of-7.jpg” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” title=”Chapter 2: ” subhead=”Ben” background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”on” header_scroll_down=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ title_font_color=”#f9f9f9″ title_font=”Coming Soon||||” title_font_size=”100px” subhead_font_color=”#f7f7f7″ subhead_font=”Coming Soon||||” subhead_font_size=”82px”]
\n[\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px” custom_margin=”5px|5px|5px|5px” background_color=”#fcfcfc” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
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He promised himself long ago he\u2019d do whatever it took to get there.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re sitting in a City Centre food court \u2013 me nursing a coffee and Ben taking advantage of the bottomless orange pop and McDonald\u2019s Egg McMuffin \u2013 and it\u2019s all he can talk about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to be a cop,\u201d said Ben, as he pushes his permanently smudged, wired glasses up his nose and wipes his face with a brown food court napkin.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019m going to get huge muscles,” he said. “That\u2019s why I work out three times a week. That, and so I can look good for my girlfriend,” he added, as pink spots formed on his cheeks.<\/p>\n
I ask him why he wants to work in such a dangerous profession.<\/p>\n
“To help people,” he said, giving me a \u201cdon\u2019t be stupid\u201d look, before getting up to refill his drink.<\/p>\n
As he\u2019s walking back to the table, he stops and stares at two security guards, his eyes following as they slowly make their way through the tables and out into the mall.<\/p>\n
He sits back down, his big 6\u20193\u201d frame contorting to fit under the table, and is quiet. A change from the past week we\u2019ve spent together. I\u2019m about to suggest we head back home when he clears his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t protected,\u201d he said, his eyes trained on the older couple sitting beside us. \u201cMy parents never protected me from anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
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[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”ben serving food” src=”http:\/\/cusjc.ca\/mrp\/fasdhousing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/04\/MRP-12-of-16.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px”]
\n[\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Timeline” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
Benjamin Minor, like most 26 year-old men in Canada, has dreams and ambitions. He\u2019s got sandy blonde hair, and a smile stitched to his face. Ben dresses to impress; he\u2019s either the cool guy with the faded jeans and brown leather jacket, or the business man with the button up suit and tie. Just like everyone else, Ben is trying to find his way in the world.<\/p>\n
But Ben has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.<\/p>\n
What is FASD<\/strong><\/p>\n Ben is one of a suspected 50,100 people diagnosed with FASD in Alberta. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder \u2013 or FASD \u2013 is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs with prenatal exposure to alcohol. It\u2019s the most common neurodevelopmental disorder yet is the most misunderstood \u2013 it is often considered the hidden disability.<\/p>\n Children prenatally exposed to alcohol often display diffuse brain damage, meaning damage is widespread and can impact any structure within the brain. This can explain the large variety of symptoms and effects that can include multiple physical, behavioural, mental and learning disabilities, all with lifelong implications.<\/p>\n FASD is identified by abnormal facial features (like small eyes and a thin upper lip), central nervous system problems, (affecting areas like executive functioning \u2013 which help you manage life tasks of all types like organizing trips, researching a project, or writing a paper \u2013 memory, social and behavioural skills), and slowness of growth (both weight and height). It can cause physical and mental disabilities varying in severity. Because it\u2019s not easy to recognize, individuals and families struggle to find access to the kind of lifelong support they need to be successful.<\/p>\n Alcohol can impact the fetus at any time during the pregnancy; harm can even occur before a woman knows she is pregnant. Because alcohol is a water-soluble teratogen \u2013 any agent that can disturb the development of an embryo or fetus \u2013 once consumed, it freely enters the fetus\u2019 bloodstream. Since it takes longer for alcohol to leave a fetus\u2019 system than an adult\u2019s body, its effects are devastating and magnified.<\/p>\n There are many factors that determine the fetus\u2019 likelihood of being affected by alcohol: like the stage of pregnancy in which alcohol is consumed; the amount of alcohol consumed; the frequency of consumption; metabolism and genetics. These can impact the fetus at any stage of development.<\/p>\n Paul Pringle, one of the leaders in FASD education in the community, said people need to realize that an FASD diagnosis doesn\u2019t have to be a damaging life sentence.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople with FASD are capable,\u201d he noted. \u201cIt\u2019s when we fail to accommodate that we create the disability.\u201d He said people need to be accepting of the realities of FASD and understand that behaviour is a result of damage to the brain’s nervous system.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” background_color=”#ededed”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Timeline actual” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Historical timeline of FASD<\/strong><\/p>\n