My sister April describes her son, Blake, as the best baby. He was always smiling and happy. He hardly ever cried. For the first five years of his life, he seemed like every other normal child, including his obsession with collecting Buzz Lightyear toys. It wasn't until he started school that she began to notice how much he struggled. He had a difficult time interacting socially with other children and could not keep up academically. Besides his social impairments and failing grades, he could not make eye contact, and had a persistent preoccupation with certain objects and narrowly focused topics of interest.

One day a friend of April's, a med student, said, “When did you know that Blake had Asperger's?” This came as a complete surprise. She had always sensed there was something different about Blake. After meeting with doctors, they confirmed he did indeed have Asperger's syndrome. This started her on a journey toward understanding Blake's behavior and trying to find a way to help him.

As Blake got older, school continued to be extremely challenging. He shut down in crowds and made no effort to make friends. His school work suffered and April discovered when he started Jr. High that he was skipping classes, hiding during the class transition, and not turning in schoolwork. That same year, April learned about a new school, the Spectrum Academy in Pleasant Grove, for children like Blake. The school offered kids with high-functioning Autism and Asperger's a unique learning environment, including small class sizes with individualized instruction and innovative social skills curriculum. Blake is now thriving at his new school. He has been attending the school for three years and is able to learn in an environment that is designed to help him succeed.

I love my nephew, Blake. He is a bright young man, and has a great future ahead of him. I want to make sure kids like Blake have the care that they need. I want them to have the same opportunities as other children. That is why I have chosen to run the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon for Blake and Autism research. I want to honor and support those whose daily lives are impacted by Autism and Asperger's syndrome.

I am asking for your support. All proceeds will go to the Organization for Autism Research, a national non-profit organization that funds research and offers resources and scholarships for individuals diagnosed with autism and their families. My goal is to raise $5,000 by April 23, 2017. While running the marathon this spring, I know that each mile will symbolize another step on the road to a better quality of life for those affected by autism, and with your help, I will raise the money needed to fund essential research and invaluable resources. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference. 

Please consider sponsoring me in the RUN FOR AUTISM. Every donation makes a difference. To find out more about the Organization for Autism Research, please visit the Web site www.researchautism.org.

I truly appreciate your willingness to help, and again, thank you for your generosity,

Addie