Prime Minister Gordon Brown Responds To Autism Campaigner On World Autism Awareness Day

Main Category: Autism
Article Date: 02 Apr 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown has sent a personal response from 10 Downing Street, to autism campaigner Ivan Corea who launched the UK Autism Foundation. The autism campaigner has been urging G20 leaders not to walk by on the other side and reach out to families with autism who are below the poverty line. Gordon Brown said: 'We are determined that people with autism and their families get the support they need and deserve, and know that without it the condition can have a devastating effect.'

Thursday 2nd April 2009 is World Autism Awareness Day. Ivan Corea has urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to speak up for the marginalized, the socially excluded and the vulnerable at the G20 Conference on World Autism Awareness Day.

Ivan Corea said: 'I am grateful for the Prime Minister's personal response but we need urgent and decisive action on autism. I appeal to G20 leaders to help the vulnerable by providing financial support. Homes of families with autism have been repossessed, some families are in fuel poverty, some parents have lost their jobs. Who will bail out parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.I am appealing to President Barack Obama and every single G20 leader on World Autism Awareness Day, please do not walk by on the other side, so many are suffering as a result of the economic crisis. They desperately need help in 2009 not in 10 years time. There are 60 million people with autism - some children with autism are at the very edge in Africa and Asia - they have no hope.G20 leaders must help those who are struggling to cope with life.'

Leader of the Opposition David Cameron has also written to to Ivan Corea of the UK Autism Foundation, on World Autism Awareness Day. Mr. Cameron said: "I am pleased to express my support for UN World Autism Awareness Day. As many as one in a hundred people could be affected by some form of autism, and it is important that we recognise and raise awareness of the difficulties and challenges that they can face."

Nick Clegg the Lib Dem leader has also written to the UK Autism Foundation. He said: 'Too many people with autism do not receive the kind of support that would help them achieve their potential, either as children or in adulthood and we firmly believe that more needs to be done to change this. We also know that the economic downturn has hit vulnerable families, such as those with autism, especially hard, this is a challenge to politicians of all parties to ensure they are not forgotten a result of the economic crisis. Parents and carers, Ivan and Charika Corea have been campaigning since 2000 first launching the Autism Awareness Campaign UK. They initiated 2002 as Autism Awareness Year supported by 800 UK organizations. In 2008 they launched a new autism charity for a new generation, the UK Autism Foundation and are campaigning and lobbying specifically on behalf of the poor. The inspiration behind their campaign is their 13 year old son Charin who has autism spectrum disorder.

UK Autism Foundation
Woodford Business Centre
113-115 George Lane
South Woodford
London E18 1AB
United Kingdom