Someone in my family suffers from autism. He has a she-bear for a mother who fights to get him the specialised care he needs, was diagnosed early and has made tremendous progress. But autism remains a mysterious and frustrating condition, both for sufferers and their families. Afflicting approximately 2 of every 1,000 people worldwide (1.5 million Americans), the cause is not currently known, and there is as yet no cure. April is National Autism Awareness Month in the United States, and I am doing my bit to spread that awareness. Please take a moment to educate yourself on this devastating neurological disability, and, if you can, make a contribution to one of the following organizations working to understand and eradicate this rapidly spreading disorder:
Autism Society of America -- US-based organization
World Autism Organization -- Global autism umbrella organization
National Autistic Society -- UK-based organization
NAS Resource List -- List of international autism societies and associations
Autism Today -- Online autism resource page from Canada
Autism sufferers are often adept at knitting, crocheting, weaving or other textile arts. Some vocational training programs for autistic youth and adults in India, Nepal and China teach these crafts to enhance and exploit the fine motor-skill abilities of sufferers. Support them if you can. The good news is, awareness of autism is growing, and with awareness comes funding. The ribbon link in my sidebar offers one way to contribute right now. Even if you cannot contribute financially, consider sending this postcard to raise awareness of autism in your community. Thank you.
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