A local contributor to the fight against Cystic Fibrosis received an award for their work in helping with awareness and fundraising for efforts against the disease.
Kasey McIntyre was awarded the Mila Mulroney Award for Western Canada, which goes to a person who helps to raise awareness and has seen the impacts of CF in their own family.
A coordinator for the Walk To Make CF History in Estevan, team captain for the event, and mother to a son with CF, McIntyre says it's all possible thanks to the help of community groups.
"We have been participating in the walk since its inauguration in 2014 and that is when the Estevan Kinettes and the Kinsman are a part of fundraising out here. They're actually the national sponsor for Cystic Fibrosis, Kin Canada. That helps me to know if there's somewhere in the community that cares and once I became a member of the Kinette cause, I learned a lot about how to organize the walks."
Eventually, the Mcintyres put on the walks themselves, with some great success over the years.
"We've raised $89,900 dollars in 10 years, so knowing how much it has grown since it started to where we are today, being recognized for all the things that we do. For me as a mom with a kid that has CF. My husband and I just don't want to see something like this go away from our community."
"Being recognized nationally on a national level for what we do is nice and it puts Estevan on the map, you know and I think that's really cool too. Because it shows that we're a community that gets behind a great cause."
Anyone looking to support the initiative can get ready to run this spring as Estevan will be host to another walk this year.
"The 2025 walk will be May 25th. Our registration actually opens at the end of the month on February 28th. It's actually National Rare Disease Day, which is why they decided to launch the walk date on that day because Cystic Fibrosis falls under that category. I'm just very happy to live in a community that has supported us over the years and looks forward to us getting out in the Community to bring awareness about Cystic Fibrosis."
McIntyre thanked her family friends, the Kinettes, and fellow member Raelene Fieber, who nominated Mcintyre for the award.