The message was quick but intriguing – she was reaching out to see if I might be interested in her latest autism adventure – to get thousands of PubMed articles, about comorbidities that occur with autism and how to treat them, on an AI platform for clinicians and parents to use as a reference. Those wishing to support the cause are gathering in a few weekends at an event in Tysons Corner, just outside of Washington, D.C. Organized by Leadership & Innovation Foundation,  tickets for the event can be found at this link.  

By Cathy Jameson

Right after I got a new phone, I set it on the counter with my old phone to transfer data.  That would take a bit, so I got some things done in another room.  I was hoping to get a little discount when I upgraded, but I was a little disappointed when I couldn’t exchange it.   I’d have to pay full price for a replacement. That old phone was my lifeline for a long time.  I used up every bit of storage in it.  Old texts, old photos, old messages, and old notes.  It held a lot of history and was well worth the cost.  I was hoping the new phone would be the same.  

When the new phone was updated, I couldn’t believe how quickly the apps were responding.  What a difference!  While reading through several notifications and messages that came in while it sat on my counter, I saw a number I didn’t recognize.  I could see the first two lines of the message and could tell that whoever sent it seemed to know me.  I didn’t open it right away but did a quick search on my old phone for the number.  Nothing came up.  I typed the number into my email search.  Nothing.  I looked online also.  No connections.  I’m not one to open messages from random people, but this one didn’t give me an uneasy feeling, so I opened it.    

Ohhhh!  It’s from Casandra.  She’s amazing!  

She really is.  

The message was quick but intriguing – she was reaching out to see if I might be interested in her latest autism adventure – to get thousands of PubMed articles, about comorbidities that occur with autism and how to treat them, on an AI platform for clinicians and parents to use as a reference.  She also shared that Dr. Rossignol was part of the efforts.  

Autism Knowledge Gateway,  which launched at a recent TACA  conference, is a dynamic resource in development. It aims to provide clinicians, parents, and educators with access to a robust and easily searchable repository of over 40,000 peer-reviewed research papers, comprehensive information on available programs and resources dedicated to supporting ASD families, and a collaborative chat room within the Gateway to facilitate in-depth private discussions of case studies and current research among clinicians, as well as supporting open chat rooms for more collaborative discussion.

Those wishing to support the cause are gathering in a few weekends at an event in Tysons Corner, just outside of Washington, D.C. Organized by Leadership & Innovation Foundation,  tickets for the event can be found at this link.  Donations can be made at that link as well. 

I’ve seen our community thrive when families help one another, which is why I’m sharing this information today.  Casandra’s sons have similar health issues as my son does.  She’s moved mountains for them.  While we haven’t seen each other in quite some time, I’m so grateful that she checked in with me and shared information about her latest adventure and about the groups involved.  I hope that many families will be blessed by their efforts.  

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.

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