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TERRI SULLIVAN: Thousands of people turned out at the Schottenstein Center to walk for
autism awareness, which affects 1 in 110 children. The fundraiser brought children with autism,
their families, and friends together, to raise not only awareness, but some much needed money
for research, advocacy efforts, and family services. Autism is the fastest growing serious
developmental disability in the US. Autism Speaks says more children will be diagnosed
with autism this year than AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined. That's why some families
turned out to educate others.
ALAN: They have the perception that it has something to do with mental retardation, it
has something to do with intelligence. . . and it's not. you have kids who are extremely
smart, and they just learn at a different rate than other people do.
TERRI: Autism Speaks holds 80 walks all over the country. They say that the Columbus community
is the best as far as turnout and support.
Well, there were people out protesting the event and the organization Autism Speaks.
Protesters lined the streets with signs. They say they protested the group because they
don't agree on employee pay and where the money goes. They also claim that Autism Speaks
doesn't have anyone with autism directly involved with leadership.
MELANIE: One of the ways we like to look at it, I mean, autism is definitely a disability,
but a lot of the problems with disability doesn't necessarily deal with the person themselves,
but more or less how society is constructed, right, so. . . Things that we're in support
of are things like supports, services, therapies, education, etc.
TERRI: Well, we just talked with the Autism Speaks organization and they tell us that
when it comes to where the money goes, their main focus is research. And they say when
it comes to employee pay, they are competitive with other nonprofit organizations.