Lisa Meeches, Indigenous advocate and filmmaker, suffers stroke

Indigenous advocate and award-winning filmmaker Lisa Meeches is recovering in hospital in Alberta after suffering a stroke over the weekend.

"Lisa is doing much better; she's strong and recovering at this point," Meeches' publicist Angie Lamirande, who spoke on behalf of family, told CBC News. "The prognosis from the doctors at this point is very, very good."

Meeches is the executive director of the Manito Ahbee Festival and sits on the Aboriginal Peoples' Advisory Committee for the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.​

A post to Meeches' Facebook account early Sunday made by Earl Soldier and Billy Meeches said she is "in the company of her family and loved ones."

Meeches' friend and business partner Kyle Irving released a statement saying she is "both stable and strong."

"Anyone who knows Lisa knows how she handles challenges," Irving wrote.

Lamirande said family appreciates the "outpouring of love" but is asking for privacy while they support Meeches during her recovery.

"They're very appreciative of all the well wishes and all the love — it's helping all of them," Lamirande said.

"As we receive more information, we will do our best to share it through Lisa's Facebook page, Eagle Vision Facebook page and Manito Ahbee Facebook page."

Lamirande added that while it's an unsettling time for Meeches' loved ones, they're encouraged by what they've heard about her status by health professionals recently.

"It's scary when these things happen, but we're getting very, very good news from her doctors," she said.