Mother’s Day, May 14th 2006, is a day when we will be celebrating our mothers for their sacrifices to make our lives better and their undying love. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I realised just how difficult, yet rewarding, being a mother can be.

This year, hundreds of mothers will be turning the tables on Mother’s Day, and will, instead, be celebrating the lives of their Autistic children. Autism is a complex brain disorder that affects communication skills, social interactions and relationships and behaviour. There are no definite causes for Autism, no cures, and apart from observing behaviour, there are no other tests to diagnose it. Autism affects people of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite the high (and growing!) prevalence, there is very little funding for research or therapy for this devastating disorder.

Most Autistic people will never be independent, and will require lifelong supervision. Many will never look at their mom’s eyes, and smile, as ‘normal’ kids do. Most will never speak the 4 simple words that every mother yearns for – ‘I love you, Mommy.’ Those with Autism rarely hug or show any emotion.

I am one of those mothers, and I will be celebrating Mother’s Day in honour of my son who was diagnosed almost 6 years ago, just after he turned 3 years old. Together with my husband and 3 kids, I will be walking to raise money for the National Alliance for Autism Research at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto. For details on the walk, go to:
http://canada.autismwalk.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=1080

For those of you who wish to donate (tax-deductible, of course!) to help in our efforts to boost Autism research, please visit my web-page at the following link, and follow the instructions for donating on-line: http://canada.autismwalk.org/site/TR?px=1088841&pg=personal&fr_id=1080&s_tafId=2111

Together, we can all make a difference, by speaking for those that cannot speak for themselves!

My recipe for this issue is for Saffron poached pears, a beautiful dessert for any mom on Mother’s Day, and also gluten-free and casein-free for all those families affected by Autism who follow the GFCF diet.

Continued....


Please click on the link for the article and recipe at www.wayspa.com

http://toronto.wayspa.com/waves/2006/05/sonias_saffron_poached_pears.html#more