This April, athletes around the country will lace up their sneakers for a good cause: the annual Active for Autism 5K and Kids Dash. OAR’s signature 5K is back for its seventh year, in-person on April 13 in Alexandria, Virginia, and virtually anywhere between April 1 and 12. Don’t miss out on this exciting and worthwhile event!
OAR aims to raise $60,000, enough to fund a new research study and support our mission to apply research to the challenges of autism. OAR is expecting over 450 participants to take part in the race, virtually or in person. Two of these participants shared their stories about why they’re participating in the Active for Autism 5K again this year.
Dr. Teressa Bowman participated in last year’s race and is back this year again as captain of the Nu Xi Zeta team, a team from the local chapter of her sorority, where she serves as the mental health and autism committee chair. She holds a doctorate in psychology and owns a mental health practice, Vision Hope and Healing LLC.
Dr. Bowman’s son was diagnosed with autism at age 5. “Receiving this diagnosis was a blessing and not a curse as we were able to employ early intervention services and get him the care that he needs to thrive in this community,” she said. “Learning more about his diagnosis and the spectrum of autism and how it applies to others helped me to appreciate the unique qualities that our neurodivergent community possesses.”
She learned about OAR shortly after her son’s diagnosis when her son received a tablet through an OAR-sponsored event. “We used this device to download autism-friendly apps as well as learning software. This was an essential part of his early intervention. He was exposed to technology which allowed him to expand his auditory and verbal skills while connecting to the world.”
She and her team are excited about the race. “Our [Nu Xi Zeta] chapter president, Andria Cook, whose child is also on the spectrum, and I are thrilled to expand our reach, raise awareness, and give back tenfold to such a worthy cause!”
Cathy Nisley is also a return runner in the Active for Autism 5K as captain of the Neurodivergent Nisleys team. Her son, Ben, was diagnosed with autism three years ago, when he was 19 months old. “We had no idea at the time that a diagnosis could even be given at that young age. We didn’t suspect autism; we thought maybe just a speech delay. He was diagnosed with autism, speech delay, and developmental delays.” The beginning of her family’s journey was uncertain. “It felt almost like we were grieving the life we envisioned for our son that would now be something entirely different.” However, she and her family quickly started researching autism and learning how they could best support Ben.
“We are over three years into our journey, and we have all come such a long way. Ben, who was completely nonverbal, now has words and, as of this week, formed a short sentence all on his own. He has been more engaged and interactive with us, his older sister, friends, and teachers. It is so amazing to see all of his progress. Our journey may have started with fear and worry, but now we are positive and hopeful for our son’s future!”
The post Get Ready to Lace Up for a Good Cause first appeared on Organization for Autism Research.
