More than 12 different locations around Boston were illuminated by blue, thanks to Autism Speaks’ “Light it Up Blue” campaign, an initiative to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day and to raise funds, on Friday night.
The Prudential Building, TD Garden, Fenway Park, the Massachusetts State House, the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway and Battery Warf Hotel were lit up in honor of World Autism Awareness Day.
“We are very grateful to these landmark buildings, and dedicated corporate, retail and media partners for illuminating blue tonight to support World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, in a press release.
World Autism Awareness Day was founded in 2007 thanks to a United Nations resolution. The day is meant to not only promote awareness of early diagnosis and early intervention, but also celebrate the unique talents and skills of people with autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorders affect one in 110 children in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. The disease’s prevalence has increased 57 percent from 2002 to 2006. The CDC has declared autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.
“The ‘Light it Up Blue’ event is a great sign that this cause has received greater attention, and hopefully it will be instrumental in promoting awareness even further,” said Hilary Sugg, a Boston University School of Education sophomore.
Lighting buildings is only one tier of the “Light it Up Blue” campaign. People can support the campaign by using the “Light it Up Blue” iPhone app enabling users to turn their pictures blue with five different style frames, which can then be uploaded to the photo stream on Lightitupblue.org.
Adding to the campaign’s virtual realm, supporters can also “Build a Blue Website” where friends and family can donate much-needed money to support Autism Speaks.
“I like the idea of ‘Light It Up Blue,’ but I feel that while raising awareness is a great idea to get the word out, it is not as proactive as fundraising itself,” said Meagan Sobel, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman. “Fundraising can help the people diagnosed with autism more directly…therapies and medications can be expensive and it can also help fund research for the cure/cause of autism itself.”
Sobel’s work gives her added insight into Autism Speaks’ work.
“I’ve actually done work at a lab on Long Island [Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory] that does a lot of research into the genetic causes of autism, and I know that most of their research relies heavily on donations and grants,” Sobel said.
Sugg highlighted the empathy that accompanies autism awareness.
“I see autism awareness as important not only because the disorder itself is becoming increasingly prevalent, but because everyone should know what it is like to be affected by autism,” Sugg said.
To Sobel, autism’s prevalence gives its awareness greater importance.
“I think it’s important to recognize that Autism is becoming more and more prevalent in young children, because working or playing with Autistic children is far different from interacting with non-autistic children,” Sobel said. “I feel like it should be something everyone should know about, because everyone I know is acquainted or related to at least one person who is autistic – as far as I can tell.”
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