Fw: One Night, One Shot Changes A Life, A School And A Town

[Guest guest]

One Night, One Shot Changes A Life, A School And A Town

>

> SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT " Healing Autism:

> No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

> ________________________________________________________________

> Monday, June 13, 2005 Vol. 9 No. 91

>

>

> >> PROMOTE YOUR 2005 EVENT NOW - FREE <<

>

> DEADLINE FOR JULY AUTISM CALENDAR IS

> TODAY JUNE 25!

> Submit listing here:

> http://www.sarnet.org/frm/cal-frm.htm

>

>

>

> SPORTS

> * One Night, One Shot Changes A Life, A School And A Town

>

> EDITOR'S NOTE

> * Why There's So Much About Thimerosal in the Schafer Autism Report.

>

> TREATMENT

> * Prompt Seizure Therapy May Have No Long-Term Benefit

>

> PUBLIC HEALTH

> * Flabby Math and the CDC

>

> ADVOCACY

> * Update from Unlocking Autism For Monday June 13

> * Unlocking Autism Gets the Boot From AOL

> * Help New York Ban Mercury in Vaccines!

>

> MEDIA

> * Autism One Radio Schedule

>

> EVENTS

> * Director of Autism Clinic Receives Special Recognition

>

>

> SPORTS

>

> One Night, One Shot Changes A Life, A School And A Town

> Basketball team was comfortably ahead in its final game when the coach had

> a

> decision to make. Ah, but this isn't just a sports story.

>

> By Tim Dahlberg for AP

> http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/regstate/articles/1621451.html

>

> The chant began late in the fourth quarter in the basketball gym at

> Clovis East High. The students started it first, clapping their hands in

> unison and pounding the bleachers with their feet.

> It didn't take long for the parents to pick it up, too. The noise

> grew

> until the whole gym seemed to shake.

> " We want Ryno. We want Ryno. "

> Pacing the sideline, coach Tim Amundsen felt himself getting goose

> bumps. Less than 4 minutes remained in the game, and Clovis East was

> winning

> comfortably over rival Buchanan High. Now Amundsen had a decision to make.

> It was senior night, the last time Belflower would wear his home

> uniform. Everyone in the gym knew his story.

> was a special education student who would do anything to fit in

> and worked tirelessly to make that happen. His basketball career began as

> a

> ninth grader passing out balls to the girls' team. Then he hooked on with

> the boys' team, getting there every morning at 6:30, helping out in

> drills,

> running the practice clock and cleaning up afterward.

> Now, he sat proudly on the sideline in his own white No. 12 uniform.

> The crowd wanted him in the game. Amundsen wanted him in, too. But he

> was also afraid the slightly built 18-year-old might get hurt.

> Amundsen considered all this as he walked toward and patted him

> on the shoulder. Off came the warmup jacket, the buzzer blew and kind

> of half hopped, half ran onto the court, his left leg trailing slightly at

> an odd angle.

> The noise was deafening as he ran out on the court.

> In the stands, Belflower was near tears. A few years earlier,

> he was a jock at Clovis East, one of those big men on campus. He knew how

> hard his kid brother had worked for this moment.

> " If you had said four years ago he'd play in a varsity basketball

> game, I'd say stop lying because it will never happen, " said.

> On this afternoon in February, it did.

> And Clovis East would never be the same.

> ___

> Shooting a basketball was never that big a problem for . He

> figured that out during countless hours of playing H-O-R-S-E with

> in

> the driveway of the family's modest home in this Fresno suburb.

> Playing in a game was something entirely different. couldn't

> grasp the concepts of filling lanes, going to spots, running routes.

> As a child he struggled to understand the smallest things. He could

> tell you his name, but for years he couldn't tell you his age.

> " You would try to teach him at every birthday, but sometimes it just

> didn't sink in, " said his mother, Shauna Belflower.

> His mother knew early on that was different. He was barely

> speaking as a toddler, and he just didn't act like his older brother did

> at

> that age. She took him to a speech and language specialist, who examined

> for about five minutes before turning back to his mother.

> " I'm not sure how to tell you this, ma'am, but there's a lot more

> wrong with your son than his speech, " the woman said.

> Shauna Belflower searched for answers, though few came as the years

> went on. had autistic symptoms, but no one ever formally diagnosed

> him

> with that. She took to different doctors, and even locked him in a

> psychiatric hospital for 16 days when he was 5. He went on medication, but

> it made him violent and he had to be weaned from it.

> " It was almost like having a little Helen Keller. He had no way of

> communicating, " his mother said. " He knew words were a way of

> communicating,

> just no way of knowing what they meant. "

> In the end, there wasn't much doctors could do. would improve as

> he learned things, but for years he struggled to understand and carrying

> on

> a conversation was almost impossible. He would look at the ground when he

> talked, and it was a long time before he could answer a question like " How

> are you? "

> Increasingly, though, that talk was about sports. memorized

> statistics, watched ESPN constantly and found out everything he could

> about

> his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers.

> Still, he struggled in his vocational special education classes,

> struggled to find his place in a big high school, struggled with life's

> little oddities every single day.

> One day during his freshman year, girls basketball coach Meredith

> Pulliam asked her class if anyone wanted to help the team.

> In the back of the room, 's hand went up.

> Every day he'd be at practice, handing out balls, trying to figure

> out

> how to run the clock. At first, the girls were wary of this boy who said

> almost nothing but was always around. But, as time went on, they grew to

> love the scrawny kid who worked so hard and did everything he could for

> them.

> was finally a part of something. And the kid who could barely

> talk to anyone a few years earlier now wanted to be manager of the boys'

> team. Maybe, just maybe, he could even play. After all, he did know how to

> shoot.

> " I had a long day to figure it out, but I wanted to play, " said.

> " I really did. And if I didn't make it, at least I tried. "

> Amundsen knew about 's work habits and his determination. After

> tried out as a junior, he told him he could be the boys' team

> manager.

> If he worked real hard, maybe he would earn a uniform.

> " A lot of times kids like that end up disappearing after two weeks, "

> Amundsen said.

> Not .

> He got up early, swept the gym, put out basketballs and got players

> water.

> " I paid the price, " said. " I didn't want to quit and I wasn't

> going to. "

> Just before the last game of the year, Amundsen handed him his No. 12

> uniform.

> " He did it the right way. He earned it, " Amundsen said. " You don't

> see

> that much these days. "

> ___

> With finally in the game, the chant grew even louder in the

> Clovis East gym.

> " Give the ball. Give the ball. "

> wanted it, too. He ran down the court to the corner by himself

> to

> wait in case someone saw him. If no one did, he would run back behind the

> 3-point line to get a pass.

> On defense, the 5-foot-6 player ran after Buchanan High's biggest

> man.

> " Coach told me to guard anybody I saw, " he would explain later.

> had played a few seconds in a few games already his senior year.

> It hadn't gone well.

> In his first game, the other team was running a fast break off a miss

> and couldn't get out of the way. He was sent sprawling about 10 feet

> down the court. It wasn't anybody's fault, but it made Amundsen wary.

> The other kids were bigger and stronger. They saw plays developing.

> They reacted quicker.

> About 2 minutes remained in the game, and 's teammates were

> trying

> their best to get him the ball.

> Suddenly, he had it unguarded out beyond the 3-point line. As he

> launched the shot, everyone in the gym froze. On the sideline, his

> teammates

> rose as one.

> The shot missed badly, clunking off the lower backboard.

> By now, the Buchanan players seemed to recognize what was going on.

> When got the ball again they fouled him, sending him to the free

> throw

> line so he would have a chance to score.

> But all the games of H-O-R-S-E hadn't prepared him for this moment.

> His free throw arced high off the top of the backboard.

> In the stands, was crying tears of joy. His brother may have

> missed, but at least he got a chance. He could always talk about the night

> he played.

> The final seconds were ticking off the clock and Clovis East got the

> ball one last time. This time, found a spot just beyond the 3-point

> line to the left of the key. He got a pass, and turned to shoot.

> The noisy gym quieted for a split second as the ball seemed to hang

> in

> the air forever.

> It swished through, the way it did so many times in the driveway in

> front of his house.

> " Nothing but net, " he exclaimed.

> The buzzer sounded as ran joyously toward his bench, attempting

> to chest butt a teammate in celebration.

> In the stands, tried to scream, but nothing came out. He

> wasn't

> alone. Grown men and women hugged each other and cried.

> The kid who wouldn't take no for an answer could now say he was a

> player, too.

> " All the parents were bawling, and the students were too, " Amundsen

> said. " My coaching staff all had tears in their eyes. It was an

> unbelievable

> moment. "

> It wasn't over yet. As the teams shook hands, two football players

> grabbed and hoisted him on their shoulders. He held his arms high in

> celebration, a big grin on his face, as they carried him on a victory lap

> around the gymnasium.

> " I've never seen anything like it before and I probably never will, "

> Amundsen said. " He'll be my example the rest of my life as a coach. "

> ___

> Word traveled quickly about 's shot. He was on the front page of

> the Fresno Bee. Local TV replayed his shot again and again.

> The attention has been a bit overwhelming, but his mother says he has

> handled it well. He makes sure he looks a visitor in the eye when he talks

> about it.

> " It's about showing the love, " he said.

> The entire Central Valley has shown its love to , too. He's not

> really sure what it all means, but he knows he's been accepted.

> " You can see how he's kind of trying to figure it out. I don't know

> if

> he fully comprehends what is going on, " said his special education

> teacher,

> A.J. Blackburn. " His ability to process how huge this has become isn't

> quite

> there. With disabilities you don't understand abstract concepts. They need

> to be concrete. He understands what he did was important, but doesn't

> truly

> understand why. "

> 's future is uncertain. He walked with other students at

> graduation, but the special education kids don't get diplomas. He had

> never

> had a date, but recently worked up the courage to ask a member of the

> girls'

> basketball team to the prom.

> He's thinking of trying to be the team manager at Fresno City

> College,

> and wants to have a career in sports. He memorizes statistics and can tell

> you how every member of the 49ers did last year.

> " My dreams now are to be a sports analyst, " he says. " I know so much

> and people say I'm good at it. "

> That dream will be harder to achieve than hitting a 3-pointer.

> " It's going to be a tough transition from this sheltered place called

> high school, " Blackburn said. " Eventually I envision to be for the

> most

> part independent with some counseling. He will always need some

> assistance,

> but once he gets in a routine he will be able to live a life much like the

> rest of us. "

> Whatever happens, they can't take away the moment that brought a

> school together and made a town proud. They can't take away the shot that

> made a hero.

> " He's a guy who tries more than most people ever do, " Pulliam said.

> " He's probably put in twice the work and gotten half the results of anyone

> else. But he gives others like him hope that there might be a moment in

> life

> for them, too, in some way. "

>

>

>

>

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>

>

> * * *

>

> EDITOR'S NOTE

>

> Why There's So Much About Thimerosal in the Schafer Autism Report Lately.

> Or " Please Don't Kill the Messenger "

>

>

> One of the many upsides of being a community communications project

> is

> that feedback on how we are doing as a project is quickly reported from

> our

> audience. Sometimes readers get tired of hearing about some particular

> topic, day after day, especially if the reports are about controversial

> subjects. Now the feedback from some, which could be characterized as

> grumbling by its low intensity, is about there being so much about

> thimerosal and vaccines in our daily reports lately. And it is true,

> there

> has been more. Over the last five days of publishing there have been 12

> items about mercury and vaccines verses 18 items about everything else.

> Is

> this too much?

> The primary task of this report is to provide a digest of all matters

> relevant to autism every day. We have little original reporting. Just

> about

> everything printed here has been written or published somewhere else

> first.

> Lately, there has been more news about thimerosal and vaccines out there,

> and that is reflected in the number of such items that end up in our

> newsletter. Most of these items suggest or assert that mercury is the

> cause

> of autism or other serious medical problems. Because this is such a

> controversial subject, we have little doubt that there will be much news

> in

> response in the days ahead that will suggest or assert that there is no

> connection. When that happens, those stories will end up here, too. We do

> not hide or downplay news we do not like and we do not create the stories

> we

> do like. If we did, the newsletter would be half its current size and we

> would be indistinguishable from scores of other autism related information

> sources that mix in their own spins.

> So know that we hear the grumblings from some readers and to those we

> ask you to be patient, balance and the truth will eventually win out. And

> the truth is for our readers to decide, not us.

> * * *

>

> TREATMENT

>

> Prompt Seizure Therapy May Have No Long-Term Benefit

>

> www.reutershealth.com/archive/2005/06/10/eline/links/20050610elin015.html

>

> Reuters Health - After a seizure, early intervention with

> anticonvulsant drugs appears to have little effect on the long-term

> prognosis of epilepsy, British researchers report in the June 11th issue

> of

> The Lancet.

> " When to begin treatment with antiepileptic drugs in patients with

> few

> or infrequent seizures is a difficult decision, " study co-author Dr.

> Chadwick, from the University of Liverpool, and his associates note.

> Doctors

> and patients must weigh the risk of seizure recurrence against the risk of

> medication side effects.

> To further investigate how these decisions affect patients, the

> authors evaluated the outcomes of patients who had single seizures and

> early

> epilepsy whose doctors were uncertain whether to proceed with treatment.

> The

> researchers randomly assigned 722 patients to start treatment immediately

> and 721 to defer treatment until the doctors and patient agreed that

> treatment was necessary. In the deferred-treatment group, 332 started

> treatment during the course of the trial.

> Patients who deferred treatment had a shorter time until the first or

> second recurrent seizure. However, the two groups did not differ in time

> to

> a fifth seizure. By the two-year follow-up, 32 percent of those in the

> immediate-treatment group had a recurrent seizure versus 39 percent of

> those

> in the deferred-treatment group.

> There was no greater improvement in quality of life among those

> assigned to immediate treatment versus deferred treatment. Immediate

> treatment was associated with more adverse events that were believed to be

> treatment related.

> After three years, 74 percent of the immediate-treatment group and 71

> percent of the deferred-treatment group were seizure-free. At 5 years, 76

> percent and 77 percent were seizure free.

> Patients assigned to immediate treatment were more likely to express

> a

> preference for the alternative treatment policy than were those assigned

> to

> deferred treatment, " Dr. Chadwick and his colleagues report.

> " Immediate treatment with antiepileptic drugs...does not modify rates

> of long-term remission after a first or after several seizures, " they

> conclude.

> In a related commentary, Drs. Anne M. McIntosh and F.

> Berkovic,

> from the University of Melbourne in , Australia, point out that

> patients often prefer to forego immediate treatment because " regular

> antiepileptic medication is an acknowledgment and reminder of epilepsy, a

> condition that still has some stigma attached. "

> The work by Dr. Chadwick's group, they say, confirms that " delaying

> medication did not increase the risk of chronic epilepsy. "

> SOURCE: The Lancet, June 11, 2005.

> * * *

>

>

> PUBLIC HEALTH

>

> Flabby Math and the CDC

>

> By Dan Seligman for Forbes

> [No link available.]

>

>

> Why the good news about obesity was bad news for the CDC-an agency

> that has a vested interest in health scares.

> Government officals found to have conflicts of interest are

> guaranteed

> to be in terrible trouble. But what about government agencies with

> conflicts

> of interest? Like, say, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention,

> a.k.a.

> CDC. A huge bureaucracy inside one that's even huger (the Department of

> Health & Human Services), the CDC has a staff of 15,000, a budget of $7

> billion and a reputation for supporting superior medical research. But it

> also has a built-in conflict of interest. And this can affect the

> research.

> In a report published in March 2004, four of CDC's scholars stated

> that 400,000 people a year in the U.S. were dying early as a result of

> obesity and that obesity might soon pass smoking as the country's leading

> cause of preventable death. One of the four scholars was CDC boss

> Gerberding, who had earlier compared the obesity epidemic in America with

> the plagues of the Middle Ages. Announcing the new findings, she said,

> " Our

> worst fears were confirmed. " The media swallowed the " worse than smoking "

> story line whole. For the month the results were announced, there were

> 1,400

> articles on the mortality competition between smoking and obesity.

> Come April 2005 a research report offered a quite different

> perspective on obesity. This time the researchers were led by a CDC

> epidemiologist named M. Flegal. Their report estimated

> obesity-driven deaths at 112,000, and added that moderately overweight

> people gain some protection from the extra poundage, so that net deaths

> from

> overweight were in the neighborhood of 26,000

> The new finding transformed obesity from fearsome killer to pitiable

> also-ran, ranking in seventh place on the CDC's list of preventable death

> causes. It came in just behind gun-related incidents.

> As if this were not bad enough, the new report also convincingly

> demonstrated that the original CDC report had major statistical

> errors--and

> all the errors cited had the effect of boosting obesity deaths. The most

> egregious error had to do with the population sample chosen for analysis.

> A

> standard approach in epidemiological studies is to first garner health

> data

> on a cross section of the population in some past period, then over time

> observe the death rates of different groups in the sample. Health

> researchers recurrently work with three large, elegantly designed

> population

> samples created in 1971-73, 1976-80 and 1988-94.

> The flawed CDC paper used only the first sample for its follow-up

> study, i.e., it was examining mortality rates for the obese and the

> nonobese

> in a population sample put together in the early 1970s. But this distorted

> reality. Obesity causes deaths primarily because it is associated with

> much

> higher levels of cardiovascular disease. And treatment of heart attacks

> and

> strokes has improved steadily and enormously over the past 30 years.

> Obvious

> implication: Obesity was far more life-threatening to the obese population

> of 1971 than it was to the obese in the later samples, and generalizations

> drawn from the 1971 group are simply not transferable to those who are

> obese

> today, or even those who were obese in the years covered by the two later

> samples. When Flegal used the results of all three populations,

> instead of relying only on the first, she found that obesity-caused deaths

> declined by 63%.

> How can such mistakes take place in a high-IQ organization like the

> CDC? The only answer that makes sense is the agency's built-in ax in need

> of

> grinding. As hinted by its unabridged moniker (note the term " Disease

> Prevention " ), it is expected to do more than research.

> The mission also includes selling the people on healthy lifestyles

> And over the years, with plenty of encouragement from the CDC itself,

> obesity has become an all-too-visible symbol of unhealthy if not immoral

> living, linked in public thinking to inactivity and overeating. (The CDC

> has

> tactfully declined to call them sloth and gluttony.) So obesity became a

> certified good-guy cause to be promoted, and you are in trouble when

> serious

> scholars are also expected to be promoters.

> Especially when you are in the public sector. In the private sector,

> as we keep getting reminded, insurance- and energy-company executives

> sometimes go overboard in pursuit of earnings growth. The comparable sin

> in

> the public sector is to go overboard in pursuit of more funding. The

> standard way to pursue it is by overstating the menace your agency is

> combating--comparing it, say, with the Black Death.

> Where are the ethics police when we need them?

> * * *

>

> ADVOCACY

>

> Update from Unlocking Autism For Monday June 13

>

> From and Unlocking Autism Announcement

>

> We told the WH that we would call them back at 8:30am on Monday (my

> time) for an answer on this issue. Once we have that conversation, we

> will

> send out another big old email with the results of that conversation.

> In the meantime, today, continue to hammer Congress...call them,

> call

> them, call them. And fax them. We put the cover of the publication (12

> page mag) that they got up on our site...you all can go look at it so that

> you can describe it to the people who answer the phones if you want.

> Let your Congressmen know that you expect them to get busy on this

> matter and that you will be calling them again on Wednesday to find out

> their position on HR 881. Tell them you would like them at that time to

> be

> prepared to give you a written statement back or give you specific

> questions

> that they need answered to make that statement of support, or lack of

> support, in writing.

> Be polite but very firm.

> Ask them questions like this (again, nice but firm and with your

> most

> matter of fact voice possible)...it grabs their attention:

>

> *How many children and fetuses do you know that weigh 500 pounds?

> *Do you think that it is right to inject mercury into children on

> purpose? Does the Congressman/Senator think that it is right to inject

> mercury into children on purpose? This one is my favorite when I call

> once

> you get the conversation going:

> *According to the CDC approx 20 million children and pregnant women

> in

> the US will get flu vaccines this flu season.

>

> You can call Cordera at the CDC to verify this. They have

> prepared for this by ordering somewhere between 6-8 Million doses of

> mercury

> free flu vaccine. That leaves 12-14 Million children and fetuses that

> will

> be exposed to doses of mercury that exceed EPA safety limits for anyone

> under 500 pounds. Then say, " I would like a statement from the

> Congressman/Senator in writing as to how he/she proposes to triage those

> children, born and unborn, that will receive the toxic doses.

> If he/she doesn't think that they should be triaged and 2/3 of those

> children should get toxic doses, then I expect his/her support on this

> issue

> and look forward to speaking with you on Wednesday. "

> Keep calling...the Capitol Operator number again is and

> you can find your Congressmen at www.house.gov and Senators at

> www.senate.gov. Don't let up.

> We can do this! They are hearing from us and we have word that it is

> quite the buzz up there on the Hill (and in the WH.) But they have to

> hear

> from you constantly. Remember, there might be 80 other groups initiating

> the same thing today! Be a squeeky wheel!

> * * *

>

> Unlocking Autism Gets the Boot From AOL

>

> After 7 years of utilizing AOL's services to bring our message and

> action alerts to the autism community, we were informed on June 11, 2005,

> that we would not be allowed to send out more than 10 emails every 15

> minutes because AOL would not allow us to send emails encouraging American

> citizens to call the White House or Congress on behalf of their children.

> This list will serve as an alert system to continue to inform

> citizens

> as to how they can petition the government for change. Please subscribe

> so

> that we can get information to you as efficiently as possible. Please

> feel

> free to pass these emails on to everyone in your address book!

> Click here to subscribe: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UAAlert

> * * *

>

> Help New York Ban Mercury in Vaccines!

>

> Urgent Action Needed on S 2707 in Senate Health Committee!

>

> This announcement from A-CHAMP

>

> According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC, one in

> six children now suffer from neurodevelopmental disorders, such as AD/HD,

> Asperger's and Autism. Some vaccines given to pregnant women, infants and

> children can contain as much as 25 micrograms of mercury. Mercury is a

> known neurotoxin and a growing body of evidence suggests a strong

> correlation between Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in

> vaccines, and these disorders.

> Your help is urgently needed to convince the New York State Senate

> Health Committee to advance S 2707, a bill banning mercury in vaccines for

> pregnant women and children under the age of three.

> Please take a moment to send a message to New York State Senators

> Kemp

> Hannon, Chairman of the Health Committee and ph Bruno, New York Senate

> Majority Leader.

>

> Click Here to Help New York Ban Mercury in Vaccines!

> http://tinyurl.com/8a2qm

> Click here if you are a New York resident!

> http://tinyurl.com/9twxu

> * * *

>

> MEDIA

>

> A Worldwide, Web-Based Radio Station for the Care, Treatment, and Recovery

> of Children with Autism

>

> www.autismone.org/radio

> If you cannot hear a regularly scheduled program on Autism One Radio,

> please select the " Refresh " option on your computer screen.

>

> " Specials " for the remainder of June (please consult the Autism One

> Radio calendar for additional regularly scheduled broadcasts):

>

> Wednesday, June 15th: 1:00 pm - 2:00 ET: An interview with Chantal

> Sicile-Kira, author of the award-winning book entitled Autism Spectrum

> Disorder: The Complete Guide to Understanding Autism, Asperger's Syndrome,

> Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and other ASD's.

> Friday, June 17th: 11:00 am - 11:30 ET: Spectrum Magazine publisher,

> Ain, and Editor-in-Chief, Cris Italia, will be interviewed.

> Spectrum

> Magazine is an autism lifestyle publication for parents of children with

> autism and developmental disabilities.

> Sunday, June 19th: 2:00 pm - 5:30 ET: FATHER'S DAY SPECIAL NOTE:

> The

> time at which each guest will begin will be announced at the beginning of

> the programming at 2:00 pm ET. Interviews of each guest will also be

> archived.

>

> Guests Bono, Bill , Dr. DeMio, Gilmore, Dr.

> Hicks, Dr. Jepson, Krakow, Esq., and Arnie Shreffler

> look

> at fathers' feelings about the prevalence of autism, family life,

> involvement in advocacy or bio-medical issues on the part of a husband

> and/or wife, and loving and learning from an affected child.

>

> Also: learn about 2 new avenues to help our children: A-CHAMP PAC:

> Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning Political

> Action Committee (http://www.achamp.org/) The purpose of A-CHAMP is to

> provide a hands-on lobbying and political action organization for parents

> of

> children with autistic spectrum disorders. Our initial focus will be on

> vaccine injuries, including Thimerosal and MMR related issues, because

> these

> pose a direct threat to children, but our attention will not be limited to

> those concerns. We hope to be a unified political voice for a diverse

> group

> of organizations that share a consensus on these issues. We will also

> work

> on matters crucial to our children's welfare, such as: insurance coverage,

> appropriate allocation of research dollars, and legislative

> representation.

> Dads Against Mercury (dadsagainstmercury@...) would like to get

> started by getting a list of dads together who believe in the mercury

> connection, so that we may channel our productive energies into action.

> This action may be lobbying, advocacy, and other activities that are

> driven

> by the group, but also action in the form of support for all other groups

> that could use a group of men to support their activities. Dads Against

> Mercury (DAM) will not be in competition with any group for any reason.

> And stay tuned for: 8:00 pm - 8:30 ET: Lemer interviews

> Lenny

> Schafer, founder and editor of the Schafer Autism Report, who will also

> discuss A-CHAMP.

> Thursday, June 23rd: 2:00 pm - 2:30 ET: Lynette and

> Prather of Thunder Mountain Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Group will be

> interviewed. Thunder Mountain ASD Support Group offers support to

> families

> in southeastern Arizona, many of which are military families. Lynette and

> will talk about the challenges faced by military families and the

> goal

> of building an autism center.

> Thursday, June 30th: 12:30 pm - 1:30 ET: Dr. Barbara Brewitt, an

> Autism One presenter, and Teri Small will discuss Cell Signaling's

> fundamental role in healing and its relevance to autism.

> * * *

>

> EVENTS

>

> Director of Autism Clinic Receives Special Recognition

>

> http://tinyurl.com/8cr2j

>

>

> Margaret Bauman M.D., founder and director of the LADDERS clinic and

> pediatric neurologist at MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC),

> received

> the Doug Flutie Jr. Award on May 6 at the 6th Annual Autism Update.

> Flutie, wife of New England Patriot Doug Flutie, presented the 4th Annual

> Doug Flutie Jr. Award to Bauman. The award is given in honor of the

> couple's

> son, Doug Flutie Jr., who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3.

> Bauman co-founded and is now director of LADDERS (Learning and

> Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Rehabilitation Services), a

> multidisciplinary clinic located in Wellesley that is dedicated to the

> evaluation of children, adolescents and adults with a variety of

> developmental disabilities, the majority of whom carry a diagnosis of

> Autism

> Spectrum Disorder. She was also instrumental in creating the Autism

> Treatment Network, a coalition of doctors, parents and researchers across

> the country working to develop effective medical treatments of autism.

> + Full article here: http://tinyurl.com/8cr2j

>

>

> COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The above items are copyright protected. They are for

> our

> readers' personal education or research purposes only and provided at

> their

> request. Articles may not be further reprinted or used commercially

> without

> consent from the copyright holders. To find the copyright holders, follow

> the referenced website link provided at the beginning of each item.

>

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> ___________________________________________________________________________

> Lenny Schafer, Editor edit@... Decelie Miles

> Ron Sleith

>

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