Our Hearts Must Illuminate Our Humanity

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P.O. Box 3429,Maraval, Port of Spain,Trinidad and Tobago.Cell# (868) 325-2656 / (868) 308 8649Email: [email protected]

Date: Sunday, May 01, 2011

‘Our Hearts Must Illuminate Our

Humanity’

An 800 Word Article

By

Mark Hernandez

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FIRST TRINIDADIAN SERIAL RIGHTS PERSONAL PHOTOATTACHED

Inspiring 1

P.O. Box 3429,

Maraval, Port of Spain,Trinidad and Tobago.Cell (868) 325-2656 / 308 8649Email: [email protected]

Date: Sunday, May 01, 2011

‘Our Hearts Must Illuminate Our Humanity’

By

Mark Hernandez.

April was designated by the United Nations

General Assembly as World Autism Awareness

Month. Saturday 2nd April was declared Autism

Awareness Day (WAAD).

Its aim has been to raise interest of and

promote this hidden disability which affects

millions of children and adults worldwide.



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Hernandez – Inspiring 2

The recent campaign by the Autistic Society of

Trinidad and Tobago (ASTT) has highlighted

the importance of realizing this complex

disorder of the human brain.

Their activities included a family day on the

2nd April, 2011 followed by a children’s event

recently on Saturday 16th April.

A grand walkathon occurred on the 30 th April

at the Queen’s Park Savannah. It started at 3

pm to highlight Autism Awareness month and

bring attention to this disability.

The Association also partnered with one of

their corporate sponsors, Republic Bank. They

had booths in Trincity and Long Circular

Malls respectively selling jerseys and other

items promoting their campaign.

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The team led by their President, Teresina

Sieunarine are doing a great job with limited

funding and resources to improve the quality

of life of people with Autism in Trinidad and

Tobago.

It’s a pity their efforts are continually going

unrewarded and unnoticed.

I have had the pleasure of joining the group

this year being a member and part time

volunteer. It was one of my personal goals of

being a entrepreneur, writer and giving back

to the society.



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They assisted me in diagnosing what I had, a

mild form of autism called ‘Asperger

Syndrome’. It was not an easy situation to

come to terms with or accept at first.

Throughout my existence, I had to overcome

many problems and challenges in life. I had

always suspected that there was something

different and unique about me which could not

be pinpointed.

My childhood days growing up was not the

sweetest experience to remember. Despite

possessing great intelligence and knowledge, I

still had some learning difficulties that

impacted my school and work life.

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I was also at a early age a victim of

psychological abuse from family, relatives and

strangers and subjected to teasing from

schoolmates which got me constantly engaged

in fights.

However, in spite of this I always believe

these experience both positive and negative

have shaped the man I am today. I am quite

proud of what I have been able to accomplish

both professionally and personally.

Asperger Syndrome, as I had mentioned is a

mild form of autism. It is a spectrum disorder

characterized by problems with

communication, social interaction and unusual

repetitive behaviours.



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Behaviours may range from mild to severe.

An individual with Aspergers’ are sometimes

described as ‘high functioning’ and if any may

probably experience delays in speaking.

They would possess normal intelligence and

have no language problems typical of autism.

In addition persons may have strong grammar

and verbal skills.

The challenge lies in that they are seen as

too literal and having difficulty understanding

non verbal cues such as body language and

other people’s emotions.

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Other symptoms include clumsy movements,

obsessive or repetitive routines and schedules

and sensitivity to sensory information such as

sound, light or taste.

It was first discovered in the 1940’s by a

Viennese pediatrician named Hans Asperger.

In conducting his test on his patients,

(mostly males) he described a set of

behaviourial patterns in the boys as showing

normal intelligence and language development

but having serious impaired social and

communications skills with poor coordination.



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The most distinctive characteristic of

Aspergers’ is a child’s obsessive interest in

an object or topic. To the untrained eye, they

seem normal but just behaving differently.

People with this condition are capable of

coping with daily activities in life but have a

tendency to be socially awkward and

immature. They may be seen by others as

being odd or eccentric.

There is a lot more information on this

disability which can be obtained from the

Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago, on

their website: www.autismtt.org

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They are helpful and wonderful full time

volunteers who are more than happy to assist

and provide information.

Their contact number is: 646-5506. The

Association can also be contacted via email

which is: [email protected] or at

[email protected].



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What is sad and very disturbing is that there

is no government support or funding. Our

President has held many meetings with many

government officials the results as usual

being all talk and no action.

Republic Bank Limited and the National

Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and

Tobago have been leading the corporate

sector so far. But we need more companies

to get on board.

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Let us citizens embrace children, young

persons and adults who may have various

forms of Autism.

They have a right to receive all the love,

support and treatment necessary to sustain

their existence and make a positive

contribution to society.

We have no right to discriminate, stigmatize

or ridicule.

They are many persons out there, occupying

various professional and social levels who

may have this disorder and may not realize it.



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Our attitude needs to change so that our

country can make that journey amongst

nations in giving a voice to millions of

persons who are undiagnosed, misunderstood

and looking to us for help.

END

©MARK HERNANDEZ 2011

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Our Hearts Must Illuminate Our Humanity

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