Autism Speaks updates their mission statement - “Cure” is now gone (Positive change at last?)...

[AGXStarseed]

(Not written by me)


Stephen Shore alerted people on Facebook recently that change was coming to Autism Speaks. Stephen has now shown us that the mission statement has changed.

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Here is the mission statement on the Autism Speaks website as it was in July:

At Autism Speaks, our goal is to change the future for all who struggle with an autism spectrum disorder.

We are dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a possible cure for autism. We strive to raise public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society: and we work to bring hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder. We are committed to raising the funds necessary to support these goals.

Autism Speaks aims to bring the autism community together as one strong voice to urge the government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Click the links to learn more about our leadership, our board of directors, our scientific boards and our family services committee.

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Here is how it reads today:

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions.

Autism Speaks enhances lives today and is accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow.



As Stephen Mark Shore wrote on his Facebook page about the change: “Cure” has been replaced with advocacy, support, and acceptance through the lifespan.

—
By Matt Carey



SOURCE: https://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2...tes-their-mission-statement-cure-is-now-gone/
RELATED: https://www.aspiescentral.com/threads/autism-speaks-no-longer-seeking-cure.17686/

 

[Kari Suttle]

I guess that's good. Doesn't mean I like them. Words don't mean anything. You can educate people and learn coping skills and find the right diet for you but you can't cure it. Its always presented, to me, like something that happens as an infant is developing in the womb or during labor. My mom had pregnancy complications with me and an emergency premature delivery which is what I attribute to my own self-diagnosed high functioning autism.

 

[Elpis]

Maybe it is a positive change, but I don't trust those people or believe it just yet.

 

[Suiseiseki]

What if some people wanted a cure.
I would like to be able to function normally and not like this.

 

[AGXStarseed]

What if some people wanted a cure.
I would like to be able to function normally and not like this.

I don't think there ever will be a 'cure' for Autism, in my opinion.
At best, I think they'll probably create some kind of prenatal test similar to the one for Down Syndrome where they can estimate the chances of your child been born with the condition - then giving the parents the choice of 'aborting' their offspring or continuing the pregnancy. Not something I'd want to happen, but a possibility sadly.

To quote Hans Asperger; "The good and bad in a person, their potential for success or failure, their aptitudes and deficits – they are mutually conditional, arising from the same source. Our therapeutic goal must be to teach the person how to bear their difficulties. Not to eliminate them for him, but to train the person to cope with special challenges with special strategies; to make the person aware not that they are ill, but that they are responsible for their lives".

The following is from the transcript of a TED Video on Autism by author Steve Silberman;

 

[Suiseiseki]

Well the world doesn't care what I feel, and an idealistic view is silly to me.
It'll never happen, and I don't think I could have children (implying that I found someone I could actually co-exist with) because they'd probably have it too and that's more people like me in the world, people who will do nothing and probably be on government assistance.
It pains me to see what I have become because of this.
I don't get people's positive outlook about it either.