Our family is participating in Walk Now for Autism to help fund research and support for autism. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 150 children born today, 1 out of 94 are boys. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. We must find ways to improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism.
Walk Now for Autism is our chance to make a difference in the fight against autism by raising money for autism research and heightening public awareness. Please join our fight as we try to raise at least $200.00 to help fund essential research. We will be walking on June 7, 2008 and would like you to support those affected by autism. You can donate to Walk Now for Autism online through our webpage at http://www.walknowforautism.org/desmoines/personal/marcus.
Donations can also be mailed to Autism Speaks using the donation form located on my page or send me a check made out to Autism Speaks. Please note our supporter ID #210866390 on your check and the donation form.
Please join us in our fight against autism. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.
1 comment:
I really don't want a fight against autism. So many autistics, myself included, consider it a part of who we are. To paraphrase the Canadian Down Syndrome Society: 'cure ignorance, not autism.' (the original was about DS).
Besides, Autism Speaks is an especially bad organization, because they have blatantly suppressed autistic self-advocacy in so many ways. No autistic people are involved in any of the decision-making. They have ignored countless letters and comments from autistic people. They even threatened to sue a 13 year old autistic girl who wrote a website 'NT Speaks' making fun of them.
Besides, the most promising areas of research into autism are into genetics, and that won't lead to a cure, it'll lead to selective abortion.
If you want to support autistic people, you have to listen to us, not silence us.
Note: When I'm talking about not curing autism, I'm not talking about self-injury, inability to communicate, etc. Those things should be treated as much as possible. I'm talking about stimming, lack of eye contact, social differences, intense interests, etc.
Post a Comment