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QUEBEC’S FIRST ABORIGINAL SURGEON VISITING AKWESASNE

Dr. Stanley Vollant

Community invited to join Dr. Stanley Vollant’s Walk

TERRITORY OF AKWESASNE – The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne will welcome a special guest to the community next week who will be sharing a positive message for local youth.  Dr. Stanley Vollant, who grew up along the St. Lawrence River in the Innu community of Pessamit in Quebec, became the province’s first Aboriginal surgeon in 1994.

In order to inspire youth to reach for their goals and dreams, live healthy lifestyles, and stay in school, Dr. Vollant is taking part in a 6,000 km trek by foot and canoe called the Innu Mesh Kenu Walk Project, which began in 2010.  This fall, Dr. Vollant continues his voyage with a leg that will bring him to Akwesasne.  He will leave Ottawa on October 4th by canoe, stopping in Rockland on October 5th to begin his walk to Cornwall.  Dr. Vollant has extended an invitation for anyone to join him along the way.  He will arrive in Cornwall on October 8th and will walk from Cornwall to the Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island) district of Akwesasne on October 9th to spend the day with students at the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk School.

Dr. Vallant is not only the first aboriginal surgeon in Quebec, but is likely the 2nd in all of Canada, and he has shared his positive message with aboriginal youth throughout Canada.

“I’m really pleased to be going through part of the Mohawk territories and the Algonquin territories located in Abitibi- Témiscamingue and the Ottawa River valley,” said Dr. Vallant.  “I have covered almost 4,000 kilometers to date, on foot, through Quebec, Labrador, Ontario and New Brunswick, but there’s a lot of ground to cover on the road to emancipation for our native peoples. The communities I have visited are already feeling the impact of the Innu Meshkenu walk, and this energizes me so I can continue my trek.”

Anyone who is interested in walking with Dr. Vollant, for a day or a few hours, can visit http://www.innu-meshkenu.com/en/ to review the information they need in order to participate.

Or, to walk with Dr. Vollant from Cornwall to Akwesasne, simply be at Lameroux Park in Cornwall on October 8th at 8 a.m.