64.0°,
Overcast Lynbrook family invites walkers to 'Joshua's Journey
Autism Speaks walk planned for October 2
Joshua Wangel is a happy and healthy 10-year old, and at first glance, he appears to be a typical boy of his age. But after spending a while with him, it’s then that you’ll notice that he exhibits all of the signs of autism.
That’s how it was for his Deirdre and Steve Wangel.
“Shortly after Josh’s first birthday, we noticed that there were differences in his development relative to other children his age,” said Deirdre. At 18 months, Joshua was diagnosed with autism. “We went from being parents, to being the parents of a child with autism. It’s a different mindset. You turn into an advocate for your child’s needs. That’s how we became involved with ‘Autism Speaks.’”
On Sunday, October 2, the Wangels, along with thousands of other friends and family members of those afflicted with autism, will gather at parking field No. 5 at Jones Beach to attend the annual ‘Walk Now For Autism Speaks” event. They will be participating with the “Joshua’s Journey” team, a namesake for their son. The purpose of this event is to raise money for research to find the cause and possible cure of autism.
Autism effects one out of 110 children in the U.S., making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. The numbers are even greater on Long Island. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.
The Autism Speaks walk begins at 8:30 a.m. in Field #5 at Jones Beach State Park. Refreshments will be served at the “Joshua’s Journey” tent. Donations are being accepted through the date of the walk. Donations can be made by going to the Joshua’s Journey website at http://joshuas-journey.org/ and clicking on the “Donate Now” banner.
For information about joining team Joshua’s Journey on October 2, Contact Deirdre Wangel at Dee@joshuas-journey.org
