John,

Donna was officially diagnosed with autism at the age of 4 but was fortunate enough to start early intervention at 2 ½. Because she was nonverbal at the time, her parents feared that Donna would not be able to express her thoughts and emotions with them. But with the support of her school and the Autism Speaks community, Donna is thriving.

Donna and her family’s life changed when her insurance approved the use of a speaking device. Today, Autism Speaks has successfully advocated for autism insurance benefits covering 207 million people in all 50 states. Benefits enabling children, teens and adults with autism to obtain many of the therapies and services they need.

Autism presents unique and diverse challenges at each critical life stage; from diagnosis to intervention; from school placements to adult transition; from accessing support services to finding housing and community living opportunities. The entire autism community needs support to reach these milestones. And because of you, we’re here to help.

To learn more about Autism Speaks advocacy efforts, visit autismspeaks.org/advocacy.

With gratitude,
Your Friends at Autism Speaks