Autism Speaks

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In 2004, our grandson was diagnosed with autism. Helpless, we watched him slip away into the cruel embrace of this disorder. There seemed to be nothing we could do. But that heartbreaking moment was the beginning of what has become a very public and heartfelt mission. We launched Autism Speaks in February 2005 to help find a cure for autism by raising the funds that will facilitate and quicken the pace of research, to raise public awareness of autism, and to give hope to all those who suffer from this disorder.

Few disorders are as devastating to a child and his or her family. Instead of Little League games and sleepovers, most people with autism will face lifelong supervision and care, exhausting a family's financial and emotional resources. The nation's fastest-growing serious developmental disorder, autism now affects 1 in 166 children in the United States, up more than tenfold from just a decade ago. There are almost 1.5 million cases of autism in this country alone, with 3 children being diagnosed per hour. Yet, despite these alarming statistics, autism remains severely underfunded. We are working hard to change that.

Autism Speaks was born out of a single family's experience—our family—but its goal is to give a voice to an entire community, to every family dealing with the hardships of autism. The journey that began a year ago in a doctor's waiting room is now a march. In fact, at the end of our first year, we joined forces with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR), creating the largest single organization devoted to autism in the nation. (Click here for a history of NAAR). The pace is quickening, and, God willing, we won't stop until we have conquered autism—one child, one voice at a time.

Sincerely,

Suzanne and Bob Wright
Co-founders, Autism Speaks