Conference-a resounding success!

[Guest guest]

I have been nursing an awful flu and am just getting on my feet again.

I'd like to thank Mandi and her very competent team at putting together what can be best described as a brilliant conference. Judging from all the comments I have read online and in talking to many in attendance, this is a sentiment shared by many.

Given that for many of the organizers, this conference was the first time they had ever attempted such a massive undertaking and considering also the incredible constraints imposed on them due to unpredictable family situations and considering that one of the main players was as sick as a dog, I am simply amazed at the outcome. It was absolutely first class!

First class may I also point out was the "Corporate Identity". Careful attention to branding an image is so important in establishing and carving out a position in people's minds. (London firms charge a fortune to brand images. The KLM logo cost well over a half million pounds!!) The Treating Autism" logo in the flag colours of red white and blue make it distinctly British. The name "Treating" gives it hope and the integration of this theme throughout the conference such as the red white blue balloons at the dinner engagement give people the sense that a lot of caring and thought went into the development of the total idea. It also imparts the concept of oneness. I think this an extremely important notion for all of us as up until now, all of us have felt like singles scattered around the nation and globe. However under this banner, we now have the opportunity to collect ( carpe diem!) ..... and in greater numbers, we have more powers and in greater numbers we are safer and in greater numbers we can move forward in a common direction This is a great spingboard from which to launch some very necessary initiatives. For example, 's idea of setting up TA groups across the UK is excellent both in terms of sharing all the information we have collected and also integral to setting up a force which can in greater numbers push for treatments which have hitherto been denied.

I was so glad to meet the many people I have corresponded with for years. There were a lot of tears spilled but it was good to do that in the company of people who understood.

You are all such a great bunch. When I think of all the parents I have talked to who have resigned themselves to their fate, the "There's no cure, no treatment" group who have given up, I really take my hat off to those of you here who get up every morning faced with extreme adversity and say to yourselves in some form or other " I won't let those bastards get me down". Here's to you!!!!

:-)))))