Awarded on: 2007-12-10
Cheryl Hughes, Surrey, British Columbia
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award
Cheryl Hughes is a social worker who has repeatedly gone beyond her regular duties to aid others in the community of Nelson, particularly Aboriginal people and persons with disabilities. She has dedicated more than 30 years to helping families and individuals to deal with the complications of severe disabilities, often welcoming children and adults into her home to better serve their special needs. For the past three years, she has shared her home with a doctor affected by a complex neurological condition, and led a successful campaign to enable him to receive corrective surgery. She has also volunteered within the Aboriginal community, and helped to establish the first provincially funded community living services for First Nations people with multiple disabilities.