About Autism
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder of development that lasts throughout a person's lifetime. Because persons with autism exhibit different symptoms or behaviors, ranging from mild to serious, autism is a "spectrum" disorder, or a group of disorders with a range of similar features.
Children with autism have difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Many individuals with autism seem to retreat into isolation, or fixate on a word, an object, or an activity.
Sometimes symptoms are seen in infancy, while other children develop normally for a year or more before they begin to slip into their own private world. At best, a high functioning person with autism may simply seem eccentric, a loner. At worst, a person with more profound autism may never learn to speak or care for themselves.
You are never prepared for a child with autism. You will gradually come to believe it, but never fully accept it, get used to it, or get over it. You put away the hopes and dreams you had for that child - the high school graduation, the June wedding. Small victories are cause for celebration - a word mastered, a dry bed, a hug given freely.
Autism SpeaksU
Autism SpeaksU is an initiative of Autism Speaks focused on engaging youth on campuses all across the US with its ultimate goal of connecting college students with the autism community. The team at Autism SpeaksU guides students on college campuses across America through the process of organizing and coordinating fundraising events on their campus to benefit the Autism Speaks Foundation. With your support, we can unite college communities across the nation into a single, powerful voice for the autism community. Together, we can build awareness about autism and raise critical funds in the fight against this complex disorder.
The origin of Autism SpeaksU finds itself at The Pennsylvania State University. Beta Sigma Beta and Pi Beta Phi coordinated the “We Are…Curing Autism Now” 5k Race/3k Walk in 2006. In its first year, the pair raised $91,000 and had nearly 550 participants, including community members, university officials and the Greek community. Since its inception, the event has raised over $450,000 and has attracted more than 3500 participants. While there has been a significant amount of money raised for Autism Speaks, the amount of autism awareness that has spread through this single event is priceless.
With a successful partnership with Magnum Broadcasting in Central PA, it was possible to target a substantial listening audience prior to the event on the company's 4 FM/AM stations.
With a comprehensive advertising campaign that included lamp-post banners in downtown State College and media coverage provided by Magnum Broadcasting, this event was successful in brining more participants to the event than previous years.
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism, and to advocating for the needs of affected families.
It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman, General Electric, and served as chief executive officer of NBC for more than twenty years.
Autism Speaks has merged with both the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Cure Autism Now (CAN), bringing together the nation's three leading autism advocacy organizations. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.