It's personal. With the recent, (and to most of us not unexpected), announcement by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that in 2008 one child in 88 received an autism spectrum diagnosis, it confirms that few Americans have been left untouched by this prevalent disorder. If you are among the millions of parents in this country with a child on the spectrum, how you address your family's needs may vary as widely as the spectrum itself. When my son was diagnosed in 1994, there was no internet as we know it today. Books on the subject were few, and most times contained dated information. Support groups were vitually nonexistent, and pediatricians were largely Doubting Thomases. There was no Autism Speaks. This relatively young, international organization was founded in 1995 by the high-profile grandparents of a young boy with autism; Suzanne and Bob Wright (then vice chairman of General Electric) parlayed their wealth, considerable networking abilities, and a NBC broadcasting platform to found the world's largest autism science and awareness organization. To date, Autism Speaks has raised and donated over $160 million to research this disorder, and offer unique resources to families across the globe. It has spawned Autism Votes, which has intensively lobbied lawmakers to reform insurance for individuals with autism.
It matters. Empowered by the great success of Autism Walks around the country, 2 years ago, Team Up! Autism Speaks was born. "Run, Ride or Tri" with Team Up! for a myriad of athletic challenges throughout the year. As an official charity at these events, Autism Speaks reaps the benefits of participants' fundraising efforts, while the runner, cyclist, triathlete, mountain climber, etc. receives so much more.
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| Inaugural Disney Tinker Bell Half Marathon |
I run! At 53, I felt compelled to run my first half marathon with Team Up! Autism Speaks. When my boy was given the label of autism 16 years ago, there was no support system or organization in place to shepherd us through. How my husband and I would have cherished the lifeline that is Autism Speaks. I have discovered that there is a special bond amongst runners who achieve a common goal; how much more poignant is the kinship that exists in a like-minded community that understands and sponsors the long journey of every autistic family. Next up, Disney's The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend. Like Autism Speaks, we've only just begun...
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Many thanks to Donna for being my guest during Autism Awareness Month! You can connect with her at distherapy.com
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