On Sunday, May 4th, 2008, Choate will be hosting an Autism Spectrum Research Center (ASRC) Walk for Autism. ARSC has coordinated annual Walks for Autism for the past ten years. The Resource Center relocated from Hamden to Wallingford this year and looks to educate the community about the disorder. This year, the 2.5 mile walk will begin and end on the Choate campus and will run primarily through the streets of Wallingford. Numerous families have already signed up to participate in the event, creating team names for themselves and encouraging their friends to sponsor them. Thus far, $59,303 have been raised.
Rain or shine, those who attend this event can participate in various other fun activities at the same time. A juggler will be on campus during the day and a karate demonstration will take place. A highlight of the entertainment planned is the contest for the best-dressed dog in attendance.
Choaties can get involved by assisting with the walk—registering interested families, guiding those who walk, and/or setting up and cleaning up. The Kapraphones, a Choate all-male a cappella group will sing for entertainment during the walk. Merchandise such as pins will also be sold to raise money for organizations including Autism Speaks.
Mrs. Lois Rosenwald, the Co-Director for the Connecticut Autism Spectrum Resource Center and a member of Wallingford Rotary of which the Interact Club is an affiliate, contacted Mary Pashley in early January to inquire about student volunteers. Mrs. Shanahan and Pashley are scheduled to meet with the Directors of the Walk right after Long Weekend and we will then meet with all the student volunteers to provide instruction and assign detail duty. All students will receive Community Service credit.
Although autism is not a life-threatening disease, one in every 150 children has been diagnosed with this neurological disorder. Current funding for research into autism is far below where it should be. Leukemia, which only affects one in 25,000 individuals, receives $310 million in funding each year, compared to the $15 million that is allotted for Autism annually.
Autism is a syndrome that weakens a person’s social abilities, hindering their developmental and communicational skills. Autism impacts more than just the individual diagnosed; it also affects those who are close to them. Among the countless people with autism on and off campus, Diana, the 12 year-old niece of Mrs. Sandy Shanahan, is severely autistic. Mrs. Shanahan is very involved in coordinating the walk, and shared her insights on living with autism. “Unless you have an Autistic child in your family,” she said, “it is impossible to imagine the toll it takes.” She described the financial burden of paying for doctors, psychologists, special dentists, focused therapies, foot braces for toe-walking, special foods and medicines, babysitters, broken lamps and ketchup-stained clothes that need to be replaced quickly, and also the enormous emotional burden of around-the-clock care and worry.
She explained that although not all Autistic people are severely affected, those who are cannot be left alone for more than a few minutes. Some are never potty trained or cannot speak.
Mrs. Shanahan went into detail on the concerns of a parent of an autistic child. “There is a person in there—one you love deeply, one you worry about constantly,” she explained. According to Mrs. Shanahan, a parent worries about the child’s everyday life, his or her future, the stress on the parents’ marriage, and when baby-sitters can help.
She expressed her frustration with the situation: “After listening to the same Barney tape 350 times, even though your child loves it, you are ready to turn purple yourself!”
Comprehending the severity of Diana’s situation makes it hard to imagine that a simple gesture can impact an autistic child or a family faced with this adversity. But one can assist those afflicted by autism just by spending time with them and showing care and concern. Making a monetary contribution and giving time to help with various programs or organizations to benefit autism research are outstanding ways to generate relief. Choate is playing its part in supporting this worthy cause through the Autism Walk.
Upon hearing about the walk, Maggie Fenney ’11, a current third former with an autistic 16 year-old brother named Heyden, responded, “I think it’s a very good idea. I’m glad that Choate would do something like this because Autism is such a big problem in America.”
Fenney elaborated, “People always ask me if it’s tough growing up with him. It didn’t use to affect me when I was younger. Now that I’m older, I can see the differences.” She went on to explain that Heyden does not enjoy spending time with friends the way she does. She also remarked, however, that although it takes a while for things to register in her brother’s mind, his awareness of his disability does not influence his talents. According to Maggie, Heyden is an amazing artist. “He’ll come home from school with twelve drawings that he made that day,” she said.
Fenney is not the only one who is excited for the event. Mrs. Shanahan said, “Getting together with friends, family, newcomers, and supporters takes a lot of stress off and is tons of fun! That’s why I am so pleased that Choate Rosemary Hall is welcoming ASRC to campus with its news-spreading, fund-raising, awareness-building Walk! I’m thrilled and touched that so many of our students, faculty and staff are participating, too.”
When a young autistic boy in the movie “Autism: The Musical” was asked why he goes into his own little world, he responded by stating that when he does so, he feels as if he has a friend and is overwhelmed with happiness. Otherwise, he feels alone. Members of the Choate community have the opportunity to show autistic people that are not alone by attending the walk on May 4th.
Mrs. Sandy Shanahan with her autistic niece Diana.
