Please support AUTISM SPEAKS!

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to ask that you please support me in the Autism-Speaks! fundraising event coming up on Sunday, April 18, 2010.
I am participating in a “TRY-athlon”… a 250 meter swim, 9.3 mile bike ride, and 2.5 mile run. This is MUCH shorter than a typical triathlon, but still a reasonable challenge for a 30’s something mom like me! This event will take place on the campus of Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD.

As you are aware, our son, Zachary, is almost 8 years old and was diagnosed with high functioning autism 3 years ago. Since then, it has been a long process filled with struggles, acceptance, treatment, grief, joy, thankfulness, frustration, education, medical interventions, and also great fun. Currently, Zachary is doing amazingly well, and we attribute this success to a combination of therapy, doctors, nutrition, homeschooling, and of course God’s grace and guidance.

Are you aware that autism affects 1:110 (1:70 boys)? Isn’t that staggering? Professionals and parents alike still struggle to identify a cause(s). Autism Speaks! puts your dollars to work in many ways. It supports research for finding causes and treatments of Autism. It provides family services including a school-community tool kit, a family services resource guide, and a tool kit for newly diagnosed families. (All of which I REALLY wish we had at the time of Zach’s diagnosis!) It also provides advocacy to insurance companies to include autism treatments and therapies in benefit plans. I would be honored if you would join my team by making a donation to this organization.

My personal goal is to raise $625. If 25 friends donate $25 each, we can reach this goal. Together we can make a difference by advancing and accelerating autism research! There are 2 ways you can donate:
1. Make donations directly on-line through my web site

http://tinyurl.com/AutismSpeaks-Armstrong

2. Comment below, or e-mail me and I will send you a PDF to fill out that you can mail with your check directly to Autism Speaks!

Please consider supporting this great cause and forwarding it to anyone you think may also be interested. I will be sure to follow up with photos from the race day!