On April 6, 2008 Holiday Spa in Costa Mesa, California is hosting a cut-a-thon with all proceeds benefiting Talk About Curing Autism. Please support them in their goal to raise $5,000 for children with autism and their families.  

When:		Sunday, April 6, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where:		369 E. 17th Street #5, Costa Mesa
Cost:		Haircuts $50 / Eyebrows $30
Phone:		949.642.4040

Join TACA founder and GFCF diet guru, Lisa Ackerman, for an organic, GFCF, kid friendly shopping tour of Whole Foods Market in Tustin, California.  

Date:  March 20th
Time:  10:30-11:30am

Whole Foods Market
2847 Park Ave.
Tustin, CA 92782

RSVP to Helane Cohen at helane.cohen@wholefoods.com.

Does your child or adult with ASD:

• Recognize stranger danger?
• Flee from first responders?
• Trust casual acquaintances and risk victimization?
• Tend to wander or elope?
• Understand directives from authority?  

Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned veteran in the world of Autism, you need to be aware that individuals with autism are SEVEN times more likely to come in contact with law enforcement professionals in their lifetime.

Come learn the facts and strategies for autism safety at a FREE one-day-only workshop, Tuesday, March 25, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the University High School Theater, 4771 Campus Drive, Irvine (corner of Campus Culver).

The presenter is DENNIS DEBBAUDT, www.autismriskmanagement.com. Dennis has authored numerous books, including "Avoiding Unfortunate Situations," has trained law enforcement personnel across the USA, and has been recognized by the ASA for his safety education, training and awareness efforts.

Families, educators, care-providers and other interested parties are urged to attend this FREE community presentation, provided by generous grants from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Area Board XI and TACA!!!

By Michelle Guppy

Like many parents across the United States , and probably the world, I have had the most joyous week since, well, since my son quit smearing poop on the walls and floor!  

Unless you have been hiding under a rock - you know about the Hannah Polling Case in Vaccine Court - and the concession made that her autism was triggered by the vaccinations she received.

Now I'm your average mom trying to navigate the world of autism just like anyone else. I spend my days on my computer or on the phone, helping other mom's navigate the process for their child. I send my letters to my Legislators, and I've crashed a rally or two in my younger years. But mostly, I spend my afternoons/evenings/weekends/holidays/summers, - knee deep IN autism. (Literally as well a few years back...)

To have heard that news - that finally what so many of us have been saying for years - could be, IS, true, -- is just beyond words.

I don't live in self-pity for the life our family leads due to having a non-verbal son who has autism. I don't spend my days in anger plotting revenge on my son's Pediatrician or the Government. Our family has simply adapted. We march on and press on. Seeking answers, overcoming obstacles. Like many families, we have our good times and we have our bad times. We do the best we can in doing whatever it takes to allow our son to achieve the highest possible level of health and independence in his life.

Our reward, and what makes it all worth it, is seeing the many little victories here and there.

But always, in the back of my mind, is the thought that something is missing.

That thing that has been missing for the last decade, has been the truth. But make no mistake, it's not the parents or independent researchers who lost the truth, - they were the ones proclaiming it. It was the government who lost the truth. Hidden in the far dark corners behind the press, propaganda, policy, and politics. And might I add, fear.

The news this week and all the media attention around it - is the truth that finally saw the light of day. The vindication. The reply to the rolling eyes of the American Academy of Pediatrics every time a parent questions, or questioned, the link between the vaccinations and their child's autism.

Because of the news and that concession, and the truth that both stand for, I've had this evil little smirky smile on my face. I can't see the evil little smirky smile on my face when I look in the mirror, - but I feel it. I know it's there, - and as wrong as it might be to love it, well, darnit, I love it!

And I think that is why I feel so darned giddy. More than the implications, the vindication; it's that finally the truth will prevail. The truth that was there all along should anyone at the CDC or the government have been brave enough to explore unbiased - will finally be heard.

No, ~ no matter how many court documents are sealed, no matter how many open records requests are denied, no matter how much money the government has to spend to deny it, -- truth was not only found, but heard through the silence of Hannah Polling and her case before the Vaccine Court .

Dr. Schneiderman, Dr. Offit, and anyone else can stand on the couch on the Today Show and jump up and down proclaiming the safety and denying the evidence of harm all they want - but it will no longer mean a thing.

Parents won't buy the bull any longer.

Silence spoke - and the sound waves from that are only going to get stronger, and truer, as they travel further.

For the last week I have laid beside my son in bed at night telling him about the news of late. Telling him about Hannah and how she is a hero, making history for him. The great loss of childhood innocence and health is not lost on me as I reflect on the toll that was taken in terms of the sheer numbers of children that were wronged, for that right to happen. I stare at the stars glowing on his ceiling amidst the darkness of the room, and I think of his journey; and I know that no matter what is yet to come, - because of the news of late and the truth it is bringing - our journey has come full circle.

Full circle in the fact that my son and I were at the first ever Congressional Hearings on Autism and Vaccinations in Washington, D.C. I was there in person, and my son was there by way of his before and after pictures being shown to the members of the committee that day.

Not only in the last week have we come full circle, but we now have the one thing that has eluded us for 14 years.

The vindication that truth brings.

Not revenge in getting even, and not that tomorrow anything will change for him; but vindication that lies will no longer be more powerful than the truth, nor will money and power continue to bury the truth as it has done in the past.

And as I lay there beside him being poked and pulled and prodded and pinched as he squirms, jumps, and giggles, oblivious to what I'm explaining to him so excitedly, - I too am giggling.

Giggling with the knowledge that no moment in time will be as significant as this moment of truth coming from the vaccine court.

Giggling with the picture of all those mice in the CDC and in the government having to scramble for their lives now that the cat has been let out of the bag.

And for the life of me as I try to decide what I want to do first because of the news of late, the thing that I think I most want to do as I "ROTFLMAO" at the thought; is simply hand deliver a big ole' Texas-sized bucket of the Colonel's Extra Crispy Kentucky Fried Chicken to the head of the CDC.

Because I believe that "extra-crispy" and "fried" is what Dr. G., and a whole lot of other folks in government will be very, very soon now that the precedence has been set.

Enjoy the KFC Dr. G., hopefully, it'll be your last meal as head of the CDC.

Be warned vaccine manufacturers, your 'vaccination' for immunity from liability will soon be recalled; and your goose will soon be cooked - er - fried. Extra-Crispy style.

I think the final bittersweet irony for me in all this, is what the history books will read one day:

"The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, caused one of the largest and most profound epidemics in the history of our nation; in that what was once a disorder that affected on average 1 in 10,000 individuals, - now affects more than 1 in 150 individuals."

Politicians - a final word to you: You have a choice; does your name go down in history as defending the CDC in denying any wrong-doing; or do you go down in history as the one who sought the truth and did the right thing.

It's one or the other.

Stay tuned for more information on TACA's friends and family campaign and autism awareness materials.  They are coming soon!

TOCFAST (Training Our Community For Autism Safety Today) is dedicated to establishing, supporting and promoting the training of law enforcement and first responders for the best possible outcome of encounters with the autism community. Our intent is to reduce the negative outcomes that may arise when the symptoms of autism are unrecognized or misunderstood, thus allowing responders to have the tools and strategies needed to make informed choices regarding the autistic community.  TACA is proud to sponsor and support the efforts of TOCFAST.

Our objective to improve and enhance interactions and encounters through collaborative efforts will be accomplished by the use of direct education, outreach and training through various mediums. TOCFAST will bridge the gap of mutual understanding between safety agencies, the autistic community and the greater community. TOCFAST is concerned that the city you live in is not sending officers to a first-time OC police county-wide training on autism.

TOCFAST consists of Orange County, California parents of kids on the autism spectrum. We have secured grants and are collaborating with law enforcement trainer Dennis Debbaudt of www.autismriskmanagement.com and the Irvine PD to host a Law Enforcement Training on Wednesday, March 26. This training is open ONLY to police and first responders.

Dennis Debbaudt will train officers and first-responders about autism at the Irvine Council Chambers in a POST-Certified Course, which means police get credit hours for the class. There will be two sessions that day -- 8-12 and 1-5. The training is free to the attendees. We have invited Police, EMS, Fire Dispatch, Campus Police/Security, etc. to attend.

This is where we need YOUR HELP. Frankly, we at TOCFAST are disappointed with the minimal response and registration numbers of most PD's.  Irvine and Long Beach PDs deserve kudos for their number of registrants, but most Orange County PD's don't seem to have the same commitment. Some of them are sending only one or two law enforcement officers. Most are choosing to send none. For example, the Sheriff's Department, which covers 12 cities, is sending only one officer.

If you live in Orange County, please call your city's Police Chief (or the highest rank you can reach). Ask them to please send officers to the POST-Certified training that Irvine PD is hosting to train officers about autism. Each PD has already received the teletype invitation to this POST class.

The more officers that attend, the better. TOCFAST plans to continue collaborative relationships with each PD so we don't want be confrontational, but they need to know that their city's residents are asking for this. You know WHY it's important - just speak from your heart.

You as a resident of their city or sheriff jurisdiction have clout that we don't have. Resident pressure goes a long way with police agencies that talk about collaborating with their communities. Community policing includes autism. Let's hold them to that.

We all personally know the epidemic numbers and that ASD is still on the increase. We know the recent news stories and that our children will be hitting puberty and young adulthood in mass numbers. We also know that statistics tell us that a person with ASD is SEVEN times more likely to have contact with Law Enforcement. They also have a 50% chance of victimization by others. It's important we get our cops trained.

If your local police department wants the flyer on the POST class, email us and we will forward it to you. Melissa at mdanner5@sbcglobal.net  (TOCFAST) Ana Wells at anamontecito@yahoo.com  (TOCFAST)