Thompson Center hosts Autism Awareness Month activities throughout the community

Autism Awareness Month in April is always a busy time of year in the autism community. The Thompson Center participated in and hosted a number of events throughout the month to celebrate the successes of our patients and their families.

We kicked off the activity with Light It Up Blue on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, at the MU Student Center with the help of seven other partner organizations. More than 150 attendees, plus Truman, TJ and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce helped spread the concept of autism awareness on campus by wearing blue and joining us for a blue-lit walk with glow sticks from the Student Center to Memorial Union.

To cap off the month, Alicia Curran and her family brought the house down at the It’s In the Cards fundraiser in St. Louis, sharing their personal story of caring for Samuel, Alicia’s 14-year-old son with autism. Gov. Jay Nixon, MU System President Tim Wolfe, MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, and Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak were just a few of our special attendees, in addition to honorary event co-chairs Matt and Mackenzie Carpenter. Several families were featured in a video unveiled at the event, which raised $560,000 for the Thompson Foundation through a live auction, centerpiece auction, fund the need and ticket sales. We also shared a brief glimpse at the Thompson Center’s first decade to honor the center’s 10th anniversary and encourage support for the next 10 years.