Live Your Dream Award 2020 1st Place Recipient: Chigusa Barnes

Originally from Japan, Chigusa immigrated to Canada after high school. Now a single mother to a grown son that was born with severe autism.

Chigusa started a support group for Japanese parents with special needs here in Vancouver – the first of its kind in Canada.

Her future career goal is to attend college to become a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) to design and implement behaviour support services for children with autism.