Will we ever get autism?
There is so much ignorance out there, despite the efforts of so many terrific people to change perceptions.
Many of these people, fortunately, are right here in the south west region of Sydney, from Fairfield to Camden and Wollondilly.
Which is just as well, because our region has one of the highest rates of autism in the country.
Grace Fava, the founder and CEO of the Autism Advisory and Support Service (AASS) is probably the most well known of the people who are trying to change the way we treat autistic people.
Grace is the mother of two autistic children and that usually is what happens.
She took up their cause more about 10 years ago because nobody else was doing much and now she has the autism problems of the entire region on her shoulders.
But determination is her middle name and while AASS relies mainly on donations and grants, it has accomplished a hell of a lot in a short space of time.
It includes an Autism Community House, the only 24 Hour Autism Hotline in the southern hemisphere (1300 222 777), services such as individual and group therapy, school outreach, professional development, support groups, social groups, parent workshops and lots more.
Their motto is: Empowering children with autism and their families through knowledge and support.
If you ever see Grace and AASS fundraising, please, be really, really generous.
Their most recent effort was their eighth annual Music 4health concert at Mounties with members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
More than 300 students with additional needs and their teachers and carers enjoyed an hour of music, singing, conducting and playing music.
An Auslan sign interpreter from the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children signed the words to Let It Play, this year’s song from the National Music – Count Us In Program.
For more information on the life changing work by Grace Fava and the Autism Advisory and Support Service phone 9601 2844 between 8.30am and 3.30pm or click here to visit their website.
