Welcome to my fundraising page! This will be my second year running the NYC Marathon with Autism Speaks (last year being my first). Autism Speaks is an organization that has deeply touched my life. It was one of the first places I turned to for information after my daughter's autism diagnosis at the age of 2.
So much has changed since then and even over the past year of our lives. Grace has gone from nonverbal, non social, and generally reserved, to becoming our chatty little socialite. Her intense love of dinosaurs, horses, books, and her younger sister have been a joy to witness. She is excelling in so many aspects of her life and we couldn't be more proud of her. Grace is proof of what early intervention and intensive services can do for a child's trajectory.
I am running this race to celebrate her successes, her challenges, and to spread awareness of all the amazing things the autism community is capable of. Being able to support Grace during this journey has been one of the most remarkable and rewarding experiences of my life.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today.
Anybody can be autistic, regardless of sex, age, race or ethnicity. However, research from the CDC says that boys get diagnosed with autism four times more often than girls. According to the DSM-5-TR, the diagnostic manual for ASD, autism may look different in girls and boys. Girls may have more subtle presentation of symptoms, fewer social and communication challenges, and fewer repetitive behaviors. Their symptoms may go unrecognized by doctors, often leading to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis.
Thank you for helping me reach my goal. Your support is greatly appreciated!
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