We know autism all too well ...

... my family and I have watched Mark struggle with it for over 9 years.  We know what it is like to hear that fateful diagnosis. We know what it is like to feel overwhelmed and unprepared. We know the all-too-common feelings of hopelessness when treatment after treatment fails to deliver.  We know the well-intentioned efforts of friends and neighbors who offer advice and "cures" that we have long known about and have tried already.  We know the difficulty of even maintaining a daily routine.  We know Mark's self-injurious and destructive behaviors.  We know his sudden and unexplained sadness and screaming and occasional acts of aggression.  We know his moments of sweetness and gentleness.  We know that at least 1 in 150 of all children in America are afflicted by autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.

What we don't know is a cure. 

The time to find one is now.

Together, we are empowered to more quickly and efficiently accomplish our mission: to find the causes, effective treatments, and a cure for autism. Together, we ensure an even more profound impact on the autism community and our fight to better the lives of those affected. Together, we will walk to cure autism.

I am participating in the Walk Now for Autism event this February.  You can support our team, Mark's Monkeys, by walking with us, or donating on behalf of those who are.  If you want more information about Mark, autism, or this event, please email me or call.  You can also post a message here and I will respond.

Thanks and may God bless our kids!