April is Back
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it's 2019 2017. "Y'all ready for this?" I want to do a reverse Punxatawny Phil and crawl INTO my den for the month. Kim
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Aaaaand it's 2019 2015.
Managing Editor's Note: We ran this post from Cathy Jameson 6 Aprils ago last April - 2013. I wish it were out of date. 2190 365 days later and it still works...
By Cathy Jameson
Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course.
--Shakespeare
It’s that time of year. We’ve flipped a calendar page to a new month: the month of April. The month when autism groups, who make money off of our kids’ diagnoses, go into full-fledge fundraising mode. From walking around in circles promoting awareness to slapping a puzzle piece on every-day household products, this type of fundraising saddens me. While our children’s needs are used for another’s gain, these money-making tactics suck the life out of me.
April used to be my favorite month. It ushers in springtime weather and the awakening of new life. It also happens to be my birthday month. Now, when I think about April and how blue it makes me feel, it’s the worst time of year. Long before the month starts, I’m done with April and the autism ‘awareness’ and ‘celebration’ it brings.
Not only has autism awareness been pushed so much that I’m blue in the face because of it, I recently saw a new campaigns are asking us to embrace it. Embrace autism. Really? I’ll embrace a lot of things, but I will never embrace autism. Before anyone jumps down my back saying I don’t love the person behind the autism label, rest assured I do love that person. I love Ronan to the moon and back (well, farther than that really because many of you know I will do everything I can for him). HE is who I love. HE is my inspiration. HE is the reason I work so hard. But, to ask me to embrace WHAT grips him from the inside out, what limits his abilities and his potential, and what he struggles with almost every minute of every day? Never.
Autism, celebrate it. Autism, advertise it. Autism, wear it. Autism, it’s not so bad. Embrace it.
I don’t think so.
How about we embrace the 1 in 50 (and quickly rising) autism rate? Embrace the need to open more people’s eyes. Why? Because they obviously missed the memo on the autism epidemic and how it happened. Before it hits, let’s embrace what’s coming next. Embrace the fact that young adults on the spectrum will soon be spilling out of their school-age services and into their communities with limited or no supports. Those are cold, hard facts that are worthy of being embraced and what needs to be acted upon now.
To embrace a life-long, debilitating disorder that can hamper growth, delay development and reduce independence is downright wrong. People try to play down Ronan’s diagnosis and the devastation he and so many others suffer. Making light of a grave situation that is affecting him and a generation of children is the opposite of what our society needs to have happen.
When I see whimsical messages and posts about how wonderful autism is, it hurts. It hurts to know that Ronan’s story hasn’t made a difference. It hurts to know that someone took my son’s plight and wants to make a buck off of it. It hurts to realize that Ronan’s struggles aren’t understood, and it’s ridiculous to think that they should be celebrated. How on earth could I ever embrace that?
To the people who are cashing in our kids, shame on you. To the people and the groups I know who are working tirelessly to help reduce our fears, our worries and our struggles so that we can have the positive energy we need to care for our children affected by autism, thank you. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our families. Your words, your efforts and your actions make a difference.
Today marks the first day of a month that I no longer love. It’s dreadful because it wasn’t too long ago that the month of April gave me great joy. Despite the sadness I feel because of the greed of others, nothing will stop me from showering Ronan with all the love and the respect he so deserves. I embrace him. I embrace the chance to be his Mom. I embrace being able to give him the tools, the time and the hope he needs for the future. Ronan is my life and my joy. No one can take away the awesomeness that he brings to my life. No one.
Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
Aimee-I agree with you that we want a CURE and we want the necessary research to get us the CURE we know is possible when the best researchers in the world using the advanced technology that we have today we know it is possible. It will happen and I long for the day when we can see the new headlines-CURE for Autism discovered. Our children deserve nothing less!
Posted by: Gayle | April 02, 2019 at 11:14 AM
Normal/usual, 6am Alarm call .Time to get-up ,waken-up ,wisien -up and pull the stockings up!
Apparently this years fashion colour is beige for 2019
April for autism ? leaves Itchy feeling purple and scratchy fondling violet !
"Big safeguarding " problems, issues, and difficulties, with abuse of organisational power going on!
Antibiotics only available since mid-late 1940s.
History of World Health Organisation [WHO] Set up by The United Nations in New York in 7 April 1948.
WHO. Public Health Campaigns . Getting The Message Across Publication date 2009 . 158 Pages .
ISBN No -978 92 4 0560027 7 .
This book takes a historical look at the power of Posters to persuade people to change their behaviour .
Actung /pay attention! After 1945 ,promotion of social mobilisation, a new age Postmodernism /Postcolonialism and social justice . promotes new age ideology around the concept . There is no truth. nothing is good or bad? The new 11th commandment of leadership style perhaps ?
David Bowie-Klaus Nomi The Man Who Sold The World. YouTube.
Posted by: Morag | April 02, 2019 at 05:07 AM
....Boeing WILL BE SUED IN CIVIL COURT AND EVENTUALLY FOUND GUILTY OF THEIR PART IN CAUSING THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS .. but .. THE VACCINE INDUSTRY & THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER BE SUED IN A CIVIL COURT AS WILL BOEING .. AND THEREIN LIES THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SWAMP AND THE PEOPLE.
Very well said Bob.
Posted by: go Trump | April 01, 2019 at 01:44 PM
Breaking News: CDC just acknowledged that Vaccines not only trigger Autism and can cause many health conditions including Juvenile Diabetes, Asthma, Allergies and many autoimmune conditions.
See the source at the bottom...
APRIL FOOL'S DAY
Posted by: R Prasad | April 01, 2019 at 01:18 PM
Thank you, Grace! Birthday blessings to your two this month!
Love, and always hope, Cathy
Posted by: Cathy Jameson | April 01, 2019 at 09:52 AM
Cathy, if you're reading this again, and everyone else,
I believe there's going to be a new beginning, I'm hoping it will be this month! (Two April birthdays in the Green household - yes, it is the best month.) Spring is the time for hope, and we mustn't give up especially now. We have to ignore those crazy people and support each other. I believe the Jewish people in New York will happily have their festival in their homes if they can't go out to the Synagogues. Quakers will gladly have a Meeting for Worship in the home or the great outdoors, and I'm sure the same will be true for many other faiths. We will not be cowed by the Evil-doers. Wishing everyone a very happy Springtime!
Posted by: Grace Green | April 01, 2019 at 08:59 AM
@Mark Wax -
I haven't supported Autism Speaks for a long time - ever since they took cure out of their mission statement. I'm all for supports and services, but other things matter too. Why are supports and services the only thing anyone talks about?
Research toward a cure matters - there are adults with autism who desire a cure and I don't understand why their voices aren't heard. Many of us with severely impaired children want a cure. Why aren't our voices heard?
Posted by: Aimee Doyle | April 01, 2019 at 08:52 AM
Remind everyone that Autism Speaks siphons money from local communities that could direct that funding to real efforts to provide supports, particularly to adults. I am astonished that "cause" marketing is so effective and makes the donor "feel good." Absent any knowledge of accountability.
Posted by: MARK WAX | April 01, 2019 at 07:49 AM
Recently there were two major air plane disasters … when Boeing aircraft plummeted into the ground .. killing all on board .. hundreds were killed .. and … President Trump issued a ban on Boeing aircraft until Boeing identified what happened to their aircrafts. Here is an article worth reading:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-30/eu-agency-said-to-have-skipped-737-max-meeting-in-snub-to-boeing
Apparently .. preliminary explanations for the crashes were caused by a "safety feature" that was never installed on these planes … as Boeing demanded airlines 'pay extra" for the installation of those 'safety features'.
Consider the difference of immediately banning Boeing aircraft following TWO airline crashes killing hundreds … and … the government's response to autism where the numbers have risen steadily .. over decades … from 1 in 10,000 to somewhere around 1 in 45 today .. refusing to declare let alone ADMIT there is a national emergency .. therefore callously indifferent to what is CAUSING autism … the government has dedicated April as AUTISM AWARENESS month .. urging citizens to EMBRACE AUTISM as though it is a natural disaster as is a hurricane or tornado.
It is no accident the government moved so quickly against Boeing .. while having IGNORED the possibility that vaccines may be the CAUSE OF AUTISM … because .. unlike Boeing's aircraft .. the GOVERNMENT IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL INJURIES CAUSED BY VACCINES ….
Boeing WILL BE SUED IN CIVIL COURT AND EVENTUALLY FOUND GUILTY OF THEIR PART IN CAUSING THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS .. but .. THE VACCINE INDUSTRY & THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER BE SUED IN A CIVIL COURT AS WILL BOEING .. AND THEREIN LIES THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SWAMP AND THE PEOPLE.
Posted by: Bob Moffit | April 01, 2019 at 07:20 AM