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| Ivan, Charika and Charin Corea |
Ivan and Charika Corea launched the Autism Awareness Campaign in 2000 in the United Kingdom
to campaign on behalf of parents, carers and autists for better public services in health,education,specialist speech therapy
and respite care; for independent research into the causes of autism; for greater public awareness on Autism and Asperger's
Syndrome.
The Autism Awareness Campaign are calling for Her Majesty's Government to take autism seriously. They
initiated 2002 as Autism Awareness Year in the UK, now the largest ever movement for autism in the UK. This is their story...
To contact the Autism Awareness Campaign UK
The Autism Awareness Campaign UK endorses 2006 as International Asperger's Year. FEBRUARY 18, 2006 will mark the 100th anniversary
of the birth of Hans Asperger, discoverer of Asperger's Syndrome. Dr. Asperger deserves greater recognition for identifying
a major condition that affects people of every land.
We call upon Her Majesty's Government to do more for the 535,000 autistic community in the UK and provide better public
services for all people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
Autism Awareness Ribbons presented to Freddie Flintoff and Mahela Jayawardene at Lords
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| Sri Lankan test captain Mahela Jayawardene |
Autism Awareness Ribbons were presented to the England Captain Freddie Flintoff and Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene
during the First Test at Lords Cricket Grounds in St.John's Wood, London. The autism ribbons were handed over at Lords by
Ivan Corea, founder of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardene, (Man of the Match ) scored a memorable century at Lords on Sunday bringing dignity
back to the Sri Lankan side. Autism ribbons were also handed over to distinguished English cricketing personalities Jonathan
Agnew and Henry Bloefeld who are members of BBC Radio 4's 'Test Match Special' commentary team. Writing to both Freddie Flintoff
and Mahela Jayawardene, Ivan Corea urged the cricketing community to 'speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.'
Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects 535,000 people in the United Kingdom and 38,000 people with autism in
Sri Lanka. Many struggle without access to public services in education, health, specialist speech therapy and respite care.
There are only two schools who can offer only a few places for children with autism in Sri Lanka. The vast majority have
no access to education many are kept at home due to reasons of culture.
Ivan Corea of the Autism Awareness Campaign has commended the efforts of the 'king of Baila' the London based Sri Lankan
superstar, Desmond de Silva who hopes to embark upon a massive fund raising effort to build the first school for autism in
Colombo. Desmond de Silva in his first concert for Autism Sri Lanka performed to a packed centre in Sydney Australia earlier
this year. He plans to launch a roadshow covering several countries in his efforts to reach out to children with autism in
Sri Lanka and raise funds for the new school.
Alan Johnson must provide Educational Opportunities
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| Education Secretary Alan Johnson |
The body of missing Alison Davies was recovered from the River Humber, near Brough, say police.The 40-year-old together with
her 12-year-old autistic son Ryan jumped from the Humber Bridge.
The Autism Awareness Campaign UK has called for a review of autism and public services in the wake of the tragedy.It has
also appealed to the Chancellor Gordon Brown MP to initiate an autism allowance and find ways and means of easing the financial
burden for families with autism.
Ivan Corea, of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK, has appealed to the Secretary of State for Education, Alan Johnson MP,
to provide more support at secondary school level and access to further and higher education for young people with autism.
The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is also calling for structured support for young people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome,
training for teachers and classroom assistants at secondary school level and for local authorities to build and fund autism
units in mainstream schools.
"Marriages are breaking down as a result of the pressure - we urge Gordon Brown to provide funding and launch initiatives
to help families with autism before they reach crisis point," said Mr Corea.
"People are struggling without adequate support - the authorities at national and local level need to realise that
young people with autism have so much potential. Now is the time for action on autism right across our nation."
Several weeks ago Ivan Corea presented autism awareness ribbons to the Prime Minister and Cherie Blair in London and urged
for more support for families with autism.
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| Alison Davies and her 12 year old son Ryan who has autism |
Large rise in pupils with autism in Scotland
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| Click on the picture to read the BBC News report |
A seven-fold increase in the number of children with autism in schools in Scotland has been highlighted by the SNP. Click
on the picture above to read the BBC News report.
Inside the Autistic Mind
A wealth of new brain research--and poignant testimony from people who have autism--is lifting the veil on this mysterious
condition.
Click on the TIME Magazine cover to read the article on Autism by CLAUDIA WALLIS
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| Food consumer.org article on Autism |
Scan study suggests autistic brain doesn't rest as others do
Click on the picture above to read the article:
Mind's 'Daydream' Centers May Hold Clues to Autism
Autism Linked To Poor Communication Between Brain Areas
The difficulties people with autism have in relating to others could be due to poor communication between brain areas, scientists
suggest.
It may explain why they do not interact well, as the weak links mean they benefit less from social situations.It had been
thought that their lack of social skills was due to abnormalities in particular brain areas.
The study in Neuroimage, carried out by University of London researchers, compared brain scans of 32 people.The researchers
took brain scans of 16 people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and above-average IQs, as well as those of 16 unaffected
volunteers.
They were shown four images on the screen - two of houses and two of faces. They were then asked to concentrate on either
the faces or houses and decide if they were identical.
Scans showed there were marked differences in the brain activity of the two groups.In the control group, paying attention
to pictures of faces caused a significant increase in brain activity.
But for people with ASD, paying attention to faces made no impact at all on the brain, explaining their lack of interest
in faces.
Both groups had the same reaction to houses.
Dr Geoff Bird, at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, who led the research, said: "The standard view of
social problems in ASD is that there is a problem in the part of the brain that processes faces.
"Our research suggests that this is not the real problem - it seems to be that paying attention to faces doesn't
lead to the normal increase in brain activity.
"This is because the face-processing areas of the brain are not well connected to those parts of the brain that control
attention - such as the frontal and parietal regions.
"We all know that it is harder to pick a face out of a busy crowd, for instance, but when we do find the right face
and pay attention to it, we are easily able to tune-out all the other distractions and focus on that one face.
"It seems that, for people with ASD, paying attention to a face is much harder to do and doesn't have the same effect."
EVERY DISABLED CHILD MATTERS
Disabled children
Every Child Matters: Change for Children aims to improve outcomes for all children and young people, including disabled
children. As many disabled children's needs are complex and cross traditional service boundaries, they are one of the groups
who stand to gain the most from this change programme.
Every Child Matters is supported by a number of policies and strategies that should work together to improve outcomes
for disabled children, young people and their families:
Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People
This report supports the Government's long-term vision that:
By 2025, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will
be respected and included as equal members of society.
The Office for Disability Issues is coordinating cross-government work to deliver this vision and reporting the Minster
for Disabled People. One of the key recommendation for the report suggests:
Improving support for families with young disabled children by ensuring families of disabled children benefit from children
and early education provided to all children; meeting the extra needs of families with disabled children; and ensuring services
are centred on disabled children and their families, not on processes and funding streams.
For further information on Every Disabled Child Matter please click on the logo above.
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| Emily Stonor (right) said ' We hope their success story will be an inspiration to others.' |
AUTISM AWARENESS CAMPAIGN HIGHLY COMMENDED FOR PRESTIGIOUS BEACON PRIZE 2004
Ivan
and Charika Corea of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK have been highly
commended after being nominated for the prestigious Beacon Prize 2004 for their philanthropic achievements. The Beacon
Awards ( given by the Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust) were recently announced in London.
Beacon
is a charitable initiative to raise the the profile of philanthropy in the UK, awarding the Beacon Prize to individuals whose
giving, be it their time, their money, or their expertise, inspires others to do more.
Ivan
and Charika Corea were nominated their contribution to raising awareness of autism spectrum disorder and Asperger’s
Syndrome. Their efforts have been personally backed by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of
the Liberal Democrats. They initiated the largest ever movement for autism in the UK
and launched 2002 as Autism Awareness Year supported by 800 UK
organisations. The Judges applauded their work and they have received the Beacon Highly Commended Award Certificate for Leadership,
second only to Sir Bob Geldof who was the winner in the Leadership category.
‘We
were thrilled with the quality of the nominations received this year, reflecting the full depth and extent of charitable activity
in the UK,’ commented Emily Stonor, Chief Executive
of Beacon. ‘Being highly commended is thus remarkable. Ivan and Charika Corea’s nomination was judged alongside
those for prize winners such as Sir Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver.’
‘We
are delighted to recognise Ivan and Charika Corea’s contribution to charity and we hope that their success story will
be an inspiration to others,’ said the Chief Executive of Beacon.
Ivan
Corea said: ‘We are delighted to receive this Beacon Award Highly Commended Certificate.We still need the twin paths
of inclusion in mainstream schools and special schools; we need further education and higher education opportunities for people
with autism; special qualifications recognised by employers for young people with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome; labour
market opportunities for all people with autism and a debate on autism and the elderly. There is still a great deal of suffering
for parents, carers and autists and the Government must move autism up the political agenda in this new term and
give parents, carers and autists real choice and real opportunity to enable them to rise above the barriers placed before
them.’
Her
Majesty's Government must state how they plan to improve public services for parents, carers and autists.
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| Tsunami in Sri Lanka - one year on: The battered 'Queen of the Sea' 1,500 people died on the train |
THE TSUNAMI IN SRI LANKA - ONE YEAR ON - 26th December 2005
A tsunami devastated the island of Sri Lanka on 26th December 2004. The Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka
worked with local partners the Rotary Club Colombo Regency in reaching out to the tsunami victims. We thank all those who
supported our appeal
The Autism Awareness Campaign
Sri Lanka has also appealed to the Britain’s
disability organisations to reach out to the people of Sri Lanka.
The disabled have also been badly affected, some have perished. There are many more disabled as a result of the horrific injuries
sustained and they will need wheel chairs, crutches, medicine.
The Autism Awareness Campaign Sri
Lanka are working with the respected Rotary Club Colombo Regency who have now been asked to re-build some of the schools washed
out by the tsunami. The tsunami devastated 176 Sri Lankan schools in the coastal areas. Over 30,000 people died in the tsunami
and over a million were made homeless.
The United Nations Envoy, former US President Bill Clinton visited Sri Lanka. The Autism Awareness Campaign
Sri Lanka urged President Clinton to reach out to the disability community. The tsunami has led to many more people suffering
a range of disabilities, children still suffer from mental trauma.
Ivan Corea said: 'A crying need for Sri Lanka are special schools (equipped with sensory rooms) to
be set up in the tsunami hit areas as well as other parts of the country to cater for the rising numbers of children with
special educational needs, including autism spectrum disorder and Asperger's Syndrome.'
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| UN Envoy former US President Bill Clinton in Sri Lanka |
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| Ivan Corea with West Indian superstar cricketer Brian Lara |
BRIAN LARA SUPPORTS TSUNAMI DISASTER APPEAL
West Indies cricket star Brian Lara joined a host of
world cricketers in a charity match played in Melbourne Australia to raise funds for the countries affected by the tsunami
disaster. Ivan Corea met with Brian Lara last year.The Autism Awareness Campaign UK also met with the Governor of the Southern
Province of Sri Lanka Kingsley Wickramaratne who was in London to attend a Tsunami Dinner in the Long Room at Lord's Cricket
Grounds, St.John's Wood. The tsunami dinner was organised by the Sri Lankan Cavaliers of Great Britain.
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| The Autism Awareness Campaign met Governor Kingsley Wickramaratne at the Tsunami Dinner at Lords |
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