Jacob’s Journey with Autism

June 30, 2015 · 0 Comments

Dear editor:
I wanted to send you some follow up pictures and information about the Walk for Autism Speaks Canada that we participated in on June 21st in Toronto.
Our son Jacob (in the first picture) is 4 years old and has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We put together a team for this walk called “Jacob’s Journey” and managed to raise $1945 which will help support world-leading research into Autism as well as it helps fund the Family Services Community Grants to various agencies across Canada.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 68 children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years.
As much as we wanted to raise funds for a great cause, with Jacob’s Journey and Autism Speaks, we also wanted to raise awareness of Autism and give a glimpse of just how hard these kids work to learn basic skills that others may take for granted.
Some children are completing 24 plus hours a week of therapy ranging from Behaviour therapy (ABA/IBI), speech therapy and occupational therapy, in addition to their school days and also in addition to any extra curricular activities the child may be in!
These kids work tirelessly and so do their families trying to juggle the schedules of all of this therapy, their own careers, other children in the household, as well as the financial side of Autism, as each of those “therapies” begin at about $95/hour or more. These kids work their butts off and we always celebrate accomplishments, no matter how small. Seeing how hard my son has to work makes him my little hero! Which is why we chose to theme our team as Superman since these kids are our little hardworking heroes!
For more information visit http://support.autismspeaks.ca/goto/JacobsJourney
Leah Cross,
Shelburne