Heather Spearman knows everyone is fighting some kind of battle.
It’s something she knows well, personally.
After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was 20 years old, doctors discovered Spearman also had a rare, incurable liver disease.
“When it comes to being sick, you don’t know how much time you have left. It just motivates you to do even more for the people around you and even more for the people in your community,” says Spearman.
“If you are somebody who has had an uphill battle, then I am going to make it my life’s work to fight for you.”
Since her diagnosis, Spearman has been involved in helping LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities, addiction awareness organizations and helping more women get involved in politics. In 2021, Spearman was elected to Airdrie City Council for the first time.
Nominator Sarah Courneya worked with Spearman during the campaign and saw the impact she wanted to make on Airdrie.
“Her priority was, and always has been, ensuring everyone is informed to make the best decision for the city,” says Courneya.
“If ever there was someone I’d want advocating for me as a woman, a mother, an entrepreneur — it would be her.”