When I was 18, I worked at a YMCA Childcare Enrichment Program during the summer months. After much public scrutiny for the YMCA refusing admission for special needs children, my employers requested I care for a 12 year old male autistic child (taller than I was) who slapped and punched me repeatedly throughout the day. I didn’t know too much at that time about caring for autistic children and through the summer I had highs and lows with that job. I quickly learned what was authentically him and what was the disease. I remembered this summer vividly when I read Kim Stagliano’s Washington Post article, “My three daughters are autistic. I despise Autism Awareness Month

[April].”

Wow, Stagliano makes a great point that autism shouldn’t be celebrated. She calls for action and charges everyone with either becoming a buddy or funding a local charity helping families dealing with this gripping and challenging disease. If you have experience with autism or are a parenting, medical or counseling professional assisting families with disorders like autism, April is your month to tie-in your work to put into action real work to solve this growing epidemic and find ways to empower caregivers of people challenged with autism. With her submission to Washington Post, she keeps herself front and center in the autistic conversation. Learn from her. Then fund your local autism charity.

In other news, the Pope needs to lose weight, say the Italian press. He is being told to eat less pasta. What a perfect tie-in for all you gluten-free, non-pasta eating nutrition and fitness experts. Did you ever think to hit religious media with your tips? Now’s your time.

Germanwings, as reported this past week in this blog, is still in the news cycle. Mental health and transportation experts are needed by media to make sense of why the co-pilot seems to have increased speed during the plummet to the ground. 

Finally, ‘Furious 7’ is hitting the headlines. Paul Walker, an actor, died during its production. Entertainment experts of all kinds can tie-in their pitching to this tragic and compelling news.