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Wednesday 1 April 2015

World Autism Awareness Day @Rjscott_author Blog Hop and #Prize #Giveaway #autismawareness

LIGHT IT UP BLUE



Autism Fact: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a complex set of neurological disorders that severely impair social, communicative and cognitive functions.

I'm honoured to join RJ Scott again this year to help spread the word and promote Autism Awareness.


This was a headline just last week here in Ontario, Canada.

Twitter messages pour in for teen with Asperger's after no one RSVP'd birthday party invitation.

His mom took to social media and invited anyone who wanted to show up to the bowling alley to help Odin Camus celebrate his 13th birthday. And social media blew up in support. The hashtag #odinbirthday started trending here in Canada — with best wishes pouring in from far and wide including FB messages and Tweets from the Toronto Maple Leafs, The Raptors, the Blue Jays, some Nickelodeon TV stars, actor Elijah Wood, Carrie Underwood and many more. 

Here are links to some of the stories CBC News, National Post and BT Television

As much as this story touched my heart and gave me hope, it also makes me sad that this happened to this young man in the first place. Just when I think we've turned a corner, we hear stories like Odin's and I realize there is still so far to go. I'd love to know your thoughts. Please leave a comment below in the comments section.

Since I am based in Canada, this year I thought I'd share some Canadian resources that might be helpful to some, including some local and national support.  

The Asperger's Society of Ontario  http://www.aspergers.ca/

Autism Canada http://autismcanada.org/ LIGHT IT UP BLUE April 2, 2015 

Autism Ontario http://www.autismontario.com/ This site is bilingual

The Autism Society Canada  http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca/

CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa Ontario) The Autism Program of Eastern Ontario http://www.cheo.on.ca/en/autism

Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre https://www.octc.ca/autism.php

QuickStart — Early Intervention for Autism is a grassroots charity that began in Ottawa in 2008.  All programs with QuickStart are offered at no cost to the family.


The Portia Learning Centre — Services for individuals of all ages with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays and related disorders with centres in Kanata, Ottawa & Whitby http://portialearning.com/

Pathways for Children and Youth - Kingston http://www.pathwayschildrenyouth.org/


Autism Resources in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, Ontario http://exceptionalmindsquinte.blogspot.ca/
 
Family Space - Quinte Autism Parenting Network - Quinte/Belleville Area http://www.familyspace.ca/oes_quinte_autism.cfm

Footprints (4Autism) Oshawa, Ontario http://www.footprints4autism.org/

Here is an article from the Toronto Star featuring several pertinent links: http://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2012/12/06/autism_resources.html make sure to scroll down to the 'resource list' heading in the piece

Hamilton-Niagara Regional Autism Intervention Program: http://www.mcmasterchildrenshospital.ca/body.cfm?id=116

Geneva Centre for Autism - Toronto http://www.autism.net/

I hope these links are helpful. I'd like to thank my lovely niece for helping me with this list of resources. Love ya, my J-L!

As my part of the giveaway prize, I'll be offering four of my books to ONE lucky winner. 

mild BDSM story Next Weekend
New Adult contemporary romance Memories of Us
The first book in the Lustful Possession Series, Meet Me in the Dark 
and Book Two in the LP Series which hasn't even been released yet Dark Foursome (release date April 24)


Please leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts on Odin's story and the outpouring that followed. Or share with us your story or a friend's that might help someone else. Or leave a helpful resource, to be entered into my contest.

Don't forget to leave an email address. 
The drawing for my part of the giveaway will take place Wednesday, April 8th. 

Thank you for stopping and don't forget to follow RJ Scott's Autism Awareness blog hop. There are lots of wonderful authors and bloggers participating and sharing their stories and facts. Lots of good prizes too.

Be good to one another.

7 comments:

  1. i was the same as you such a touching story that just shouldn't have been one in the first place, if only people understood and didn't judge others, because if you think about it, the only way this 13 year old had any problems is because the adults in there lives judge, and judge harshly and a lot of that has probably been pointed at him.

    touching and sad

    beeheeley(@)gmail(.)com

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  2. Heartrending story for sure, and the list of resources is great!

    Trix, vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com

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  3. Beautiful story, shows that many people care! If only we could stop prejudice and mistreatment by people who don't understand, and don't want to...
    susanaperez710(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. A great post it was wonderful that the story had a great ending but sad it happened in the first place.

    ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

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  5. I am enjoying the blog hop. There is so much great info being shared. Thanks for helping get the word out.
    flutterfli01 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  6. The story reminds me that children can be so excluding even at a young age, but it's a learned behavior. It's sad that Odin even had to experience this in the first place, but I'm glad to see that a happy ending was had. Thanks for sharing.

    Waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com

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  7. With the help of random.org, a winner has been selected.

    Thank you all for stopping and commenting and thanks to RJ!

    My winner is Trix! Hope to see you all again next year. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete