Review of Autism Speaks Walk 2010

Walking with Alex's dog, Pepsi - Would have loved to have Alex & Todd there too, but some of it would have been a little too busy for them. So we walked with their pictures; they were there in spirit!

Last week I had an awesome day as part of the Autism Dog Services team at the Autism Speaks "Walk Now for Autism" event. Our team had over 40 people, and raised close to $3000 which went towards funding for autism research.

Before this event, there was a lot of talk about it on Facebook . . . People getting last minute pledges, updating their statuses out of excitement, and so on and so forth. What surprised me were a few comments that friends of some friends were making about not supporting the Autism Speaks walk, and how everyone else shouldn't either.

I was curious about why it was such a negative thing in their mind. As far as I was concerned, the walk was about raising awareness about what autism was, and (for our team) what Autism Dog Services can provide families who are affected by autism.

So I went to the Autism Speaks website to read more about what it is, and this was basically what I found (quoted, from www.autismspeaks.org):

Autism Speaks has grown into the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We are proud of what we've been able to accomplish and look forward to continued successes in the years ahead.

I thought this all sounded pretty good. I think that increasing awareness about certain disabilities can really lead to acceptance for those people, if the awareness is brought out in a positive way. I know that for my brothers, it's a lot easier to get to know them and understand them if you know a little bit more about them, including how their autism affects their behaviours, communication, etc.

As for the research (what the money goes towards), I didn't collect a whole lot of money. For me, personally, I am all for autism research . . . But I don't think my brothers need to be cured either. Yes, I'm curious about what the causes of autism are (they aren't known for sure), and it would be nice if some of their behaviours were reduced, or their communication was increased. In the end though, I would rather just walk in the support of the awareness, in the hope of acceptance - So that is what I did.

I went to the walk and had a great time. With all of our ADS members, we looked like such a solid, united team - It was such an awesome thing to see. I was so proud to be a part of that family, and so pumped to be there. We had lots of people coming up and asking questions about the dogs; it's great to connect with other families who are interested in getting a dog for their child.

As we walked in downtown Toronto, there were signs that had facts about autism, which was great. The public could maybe even learn a thing or two about what autism is, even if they weren't involved with the event.

The walk itself I found to be very powerful. There were so many people, all connected by a disorder that some people would consider to be such a horrible fate. But families brought their members who had autism, and were so proud and supportive of them. It was great! I absolutely loved the walk!

After thinking more about the walk, and what it's all about, I've come to realize that my brothers deserve more than what Autism Speaks can give them. My brothers deserve more than a cure that will make them become just like everyone else; they deserve acceptance for who they are, for who they came into the world as. I guess I don't feel that they need to be cured because they aren't dying, or very sick . . . They just have different qualities than the average person. And a lot of those qualities are great ones; I know that my brothers will grow up into very nice young men, who will have a lot to offer to this world just the way they are.

I hope that Autism Speaks will continue to increase awareness. Maybe if enough people learn about what autism is, Alex, Todd & I will be able to go to McDonalds without people staring at us, wondering why they have service dogs. Maybe people won't laugh at them every time they make a noise of some kind . . . Maybe people will just be able to accept them for who they are.