Please Support Autism Speaks

I am honored to be running 2024 London Marathon to raise money for Autism Speaks, a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  My wife Laura and I are hopeful that you will join us in supporting Autism Speaks by making a donation today.   

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the U.S. are autistic.  For many years, Autism Speaks’ has been at the forefront of funding research for advancements in care and treatment of individuals with ASD.  Autism Speaks also provides invaluable information and support to families and individuals with ASD in navigating some of the many challenges they face.   

We were introduced to Autism Speaks by my brother-in-law, Ryan Arenson, who chaired the past several Autism Speaks Walks in Chicago in support of his incredible brother Matthew.  Ryan’s introduction was fortuitous in that our youngest child, also named Ryan, was recently re-diagnosed with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Our Ryan is an incredibly smart, 18 year-old Senior at Glenbrook South High School (GBS), who excels academically and loves playing percussion in Glenbrook South’s award winning marching band, pep band and jazz ensemble.  Ryan is able to pursue these endeavors and others in no small part due to the wonderful support received from GBS.  Ryan was originally diagnosed with ASD in elementary school but that diagnosis was changed to ADHD and for years we were not sure whether the diagnosis was correct or whether we were getting the right support for Ryan.  Because ASD includes a range of diagnoses, it can be difficult to diagnose correctly and confusing for many parents.

Fortunately for us, in Ryan’s case, irrespective of the diagnosis, Ryan received incredible support from GBS, but as Ryan transitions from high school additional support will be needed.  Therefore, having an accurate diagnosis is important for Ryan’s therapeutic needs.

Autism speaks provides incredible resources and support to autistic individuals and families trying to navigate these challenges, not just during childhood but throughout adulthood.    We know many individuals with ASD and their families, and each are presented with their own challenges and rewards and many of them have received invaluable support from Autism Speaks over the years.  Accordingly, we consider ourselves extremely fortunate to connect with Autism Speaks at this time and support their mission. 

Accordingly, please join us today in supporting Autism Speaks.

Why the London Marathon? 

As many of you know, I have been an avid runner for many years with a substantial hiatus due to various personal and family health issues, not the least of which were Laura’s battle with kidney cancer in 2012 and my own in 2015 with both of us having surgeries to remove portions of our kidneys.

A year after my surgery, I decided to raise money for Kidney Cancer Association by running the 2017 Austin Half Marathon.  This was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  Since then I have run several more half marathons and a handful of full marathons, the most rewarding of which were ones I dedicated to a charitable cause.

During my training for this part year's Chicago Marathon I set a goal of completing all of the six Abbott World Major Marathons and raising money for charity for each.  Currently, the six Abbott World Major Marathons are: Chicago, London, New York, Tokyo, Berlin and Boston and the current plan is to run them in that order with the ultimate goal of actually qualifying for the Boston Marathon (admittedly, the last one might not happen due to my being old and slow).

We chose London as the next marathon not only because Autism Speaks is a charitable partner with the London Marathon, but also because much of Laura's extended family lives near London, including the namesakes of our daughters Heather and Cameron whom they have yet to meet.  Unfortunately, our prior plans to take trips over there were put off due to various reasons, the most recent being Covid.  Accordingly, a trip to London is long overdue and we are extremely excited about the opportunity to visit London and raise money for such an incredible cause.  (And to answer one person's question, all of your donation goes to Autism Speaks, none of it funds the Ashley Family travel expenses).  

We are grateful for your support!

Cheers!

Al and Laura