Letter to Pro-Cure Activist

Here is a letter that I wrote and sent to an organization that claims themselves to be pro-cure when it comes to autism. I wrote this letter with hopes that I could actually make a change...

Dear Anonymous,

I am writing to you in order to propose a change. I want organizations that put all of their time and money into finding a cure for autism to realize the real issue at hand. There are so many people living in this world that are completely ignorant to the issues surrounding autism. They judge without knowing; they stare with questioning eyes. It is so important for society to recognize what autism truly is. Autism is a way of life. It is a variation in functioning. With pro-cure views, the money on research prevents autism from being seen as a way of life, but rather as a disease. Billions of dollars are going into the research of autism, while there is yet to be a consensus on the cause, and there are no specific findings on a cure. Through this fact alone, the idea of acceptance and awareness should be at the forefront.

I currently work as a behavior specialist, providing early intervention therapy to young children diagnosed with autism. I witness first hand the affects of this developmental disability on both the children and their families. Through my work, I am able to observe the growth and immense progress that these children make on a day to day basis. I have seen the ups and downs. While their lives are full of struggles, I also am able to view the passion that they have for life. With days filled with early intervention services, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, these children are faced with constant mountains to climb. However, they continue to laugh hard and show incredible love and affection. It is through these children with autism that I have learned to appreciate the smaller things in life.

Throughout the years, people continue to develop these preconceived ideas about what autism actually is. However, they do not fully understand the individuals and their specific cases. When society is faced with something as serious as the growing number of children with autism, they immediately decide that the only route to take is finding a way to cure it. That is why more efforts need to be placed on educating those who have not been directly affected by autism and helping autism become more accepted, rather than simply a misunderstood disease.

I am asking you to consider all of this in order to make alternate decisions on how to inform the public on the issues surrounding autism. Take into consideration the possibility of allocating more funds into educational programs on the acceptance and awareness of autism. I am not suggesting that the idea of finding a cure should be completely eliminated from view. However, those lacking knowledge need to be better informed while a cure has yet to be found.

Yours Truly