Elizabeth Emken Quotes

We wear 'Autism' on our shorts to raise awareness and show support for other families dealing with autism.

I have a long-standing relationship with Autism Speaks. I've been supporting them for many, many years now.

A friend of mine works for Autism Speaks. It's an amazing cause that is making a real difference in the lives of so many people.

Those outside of autism need to understand this is an epidemic and we need more government funding, insurance coverage and education reform.

We all want our children to be the best they can be; and one of the blessings of having an autistic child is that you notice every little achievement, and it becomes cause for celebration.

When I first started in this field there were all kinds of stereotypes about autism, as if these were children from another planet, or children who had been brought up by wolves, that they weren't part of our population and were somehow separate.

I treasure my meetings with individuals affected by autism - parents, children, teachers and friends. Their strength is inspiring. They deserve all possible opportunities for education, employment and integration.

Being a typical teenager isn't easy. When you have autism, it can be extra difficult. We need more public awareness about these hurdles as well as compassion towards these young people.

Having Down syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in different ways, that is the way I can describe it. I have a normal life.

Sometimes people say that kids with autism aren't capable of love. That's ridiculous. My son loves deeply. He just doesn't communicate well.

Autism doesn't have to define a person. Artists with autism are like anyone else: They define themselves through hard work and individuality.

We are all in this together. We want to have, I suppose, a single point of entry so that anyone coming near a disability service can get a very complete picture. Government needs to understand that picture, and we need to be able to offer somebody a one-stop shop.

A lady emailed me that her child had been diagnosed with autism and that hearing my material on the subject had helped her. To me, it just means that I'm making the right decision in talking about this.

I'm hoping that autism is going to get to that same point, where it becomes quite ordinary to say, 'I have autism,' or 'I have Asperger's syndrome,' and that there will be many more resources available to make life easier for people on the autistic spectrum.

With the right support and reasonable adjustments, autistic people make wonderful employees.

Society and government at all levels - the state level, the local level and, of course, the federal level - really needs to redouble its efforts if we're really going to make a difference in combating autism.

As the mother of a son with disabilities, I try to keep an eye out for news that affects people in the large community of which he is a part.

For a long time my family believed that all of us working together could provide my sister with a happy life in our midst. My parents, strong believers in family loyalty, rejected suggestions that Rosemary be sent away to an institution.

I've seen a shift in general about the literacy of the public to what Tourette's is. And that's a testament to local kids and parents having the courage to share their experience.

Down syndrome kids can learn. Like Corky. That's the way I feel about it... For those kids who have Down syndrome, to give them a chance.

The problems of the disabled are unpopular.

I believe we can make progress on bringing true equality and fairness back to our government if we continue to work together and make our voices heard.

Children born with Down Syndrome are not vegetables, nor are their lives demonstrably not worth living.

It is one of the triumphs of modern society that the life of the average person with Down Syndrome has become strikingly normal.

Throughout human history, some of our most influential inventors, entrepreneurs, and leaders have had disabilities. For example, Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson, and Charles Schwab are all dyslexic, while scientist Stephen Hawking has used a wheelchair for decades.