Run with us towards a brighter future.
Your support makes a difference!
Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) is Australia’s largest autism-specific service provider and charity.
By running 70kms this October, you’ll be helping build an autism-friendly world that supports Autistic Australians and their families at all stages of life. The funds you raise could go towards:
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Helping Autistic people and their families access earlier diagnosis so they grow up with the support and understanding that comes from an autism diagnosis. |
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Providing resources and information that empower Autistic people and their families following an autism diagnosis. |
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Creating inclusive, autism-friendly environments where Autistic people feel comfortable and free to be themselves. |
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Funding critical research to further explore mental health issues experience by Autistic people and what support is needed to improve their wellbeing. |
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Providing specialist schooling for children on the autism spectrum in an environment that allows them to embrace their different brilliant.® |
Josh, an Autistic adult and parent in Australia, had a complex journey marked by constant relocation with missionary parents and academic success. He skipped a grade, topped his engineering degree, and began a PhD—yet struggled in his mid-20s with structure, job changes, and daily tasks. Academic pursuits became a way to avoid the outside world.
By 30, his mental health declined, worsened by COVID. A late autism diagnosis helped him make sense of recurring struggles, especially with loneliness. “For me, loneliness isn’t just being alone — it’s about feeling misunderstood, missing social cues, and struggling to connect.” Josh often felt like an outsider, a feeling intensified during the pandemic as he and his son faced mental health challenges.
These days, Josh is finding rhythm through movement. After years of being sedentary, running and cycling helped quiet his mind and gave him structure. Despite setbacks, active commuting became essential—a way to manage life. Now, post-COVID, he’s back to it, finding that movement keeps him grounded, connected, and better able to face the world on his own terms.
Meet Chloe - Diagnosed at age 19
Chloe, a youth work TAFE student and part-time PCYC worker, is also a passionate basketball fan who volunteers as a statistician for the Geraldton Buccaneers. After years of mental health struggles and misdiagnoses—including schizophrenia—Chloe was encouraged to get tested for autism. At 19, following a two-year process, she was officially diagnosed. She recalled being placed in a locked ward, where a psychiatrist finally suggested her medications were harming rather than helping — because her brain was "wired differently."
Chloe reflected on the challenges she faced in school, especially socially and academically. She believes early diagnosis is crucial:
“It means getting support sooner — in school, in life, and when entering the workforce. It helps people understand themselves and be understood by others.”
For more information visit: www.aspect.org.au or call 1800 277 328
