CNN noticed your autism stories

Posted by Beth Finke on March 31st, 2008

A huge thank you to all of you who read Lisa Tate’s blog last week and then contacted CNN. The network’s chief medical/health producer phoned Easter Seals Headquarters last week to tell us she’d been touched by several of your autism stories.

CNN plans to continue covering autism far beyond this Wednesday (when CNN Medical News will devote …Read More » »

Today’s the deadline: share your ideas with autism committee

Posted by Beth Finke on January 4th, 2008

In December, Patricia Wright wrote about Dr. Stephen Shore’s appointment to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
I had the pleasure of meeting Shore at our 2007 Easter Seals Training Conference in April. Shore is a well-known public speaker, and at the conference he provided a personal perspective on …Read More » »

Jenny McCarthy, louder than words

Posted by Beth Finke on October 5th, 2007

I was on vacation last week and during some long flights, I had time to think over some of the things I’d heard about Jenny McCarthy’s September 18 appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. McCarthy was on tour promoting Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.

During her Oprah appearance, …Read More » »

Brothers and sisters of autism

Posted by Beth Finke on September 26th, 2007

A story in this month’s issue of Vanity Fair reports how famous playwright Arthur Miller had his son Daniel, born with Down syndrome, placed in a “home for infants” in New York City.

Miller was concerned about what his daughter Rebecca’s life would be like if she grew up with a brother who had a disability. …Read More » »

Joey’s Gift and respite: a healthy break for families

Posted by Beth Finke on August 20th, 2007

Tonight’s Engaged and Underage reality TV show on MTV features Michelle Minotti Wright, a volunteer at Easter Seals Volusia and Flagler Counties in Florida. Michelle volunteers in memory of her brother Joey, who had Down syndrome and autism, and received services there.

Joey died …Read More » »

Delivering a message of hope

Posted by Timothy Muri on July 25th, 2007

Today’s What’s My Line? column in the Chicago Sun-Times features a story about Maurice Snell, Easter Seals’ 2007 National Adult Representative.

Maurice started attending our Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago Autism Therapeutic Day School when he was six …Read More » »

An update on Maurice’s summer

Posted by Maurice Snell on July 3rd, 2007

It’s been a while since I last posted a blog to the Easter Seals and Autism Web site. I haven’t really traveled outside of Illinois lately, but I will soon. However, I am excited about the changes at Easter Seals and how that will affect many Chicagoans (and Americans as well).

It wasn’t until the last week before summer break …Read More » »

Media and myths

Posted by Ellen Harrington-Kane on June 27th, 2007

Recently I saw this article on the ABC News Web site titled “Media Coverage May Perpetuate Autism Myths.” Most of the article is related to the continuing discussions over the role of vaccinations in the cause of autism.

Although the article briefly draws attention to the benefits of treatment, they’re not yet making that …Read More » »

Adults and autism: society needs to step up

Posted by Patricia Wright on June 21st, 2007

This opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle details the concerns shared by many parents of children with autism and other disabilities. What happens when these children grow up … and grow out of government-provided support?

In 1989, I began my career teaching high school at Spectrum Center for Educational and Behavioral Development — now known as Spectrum Center. It …Read More » »

We’re about service

Posted by Patricia Wright on June 11th, 2007

Autism is receiving a lot of attention –- here at Easter Seals, in the press, in the legislature –- it’s everywhere. And a lot of that attention is paid to “cause and cure.” Today a large court hearing begins in the area of vaccines and their link …Read More » »