My Son is profoundly autistic
My son Maverick is 4 — brilliant, brave, and full of heart. Yet he misses out on so many mainstream opportunities because of his disability. At just four years old he’s learnt to run, even though Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome means he lives with pain every day. Still, he pushes himself to keep going, to try and fit into a world that too often sees him as “weird,” “too hard,” or a burden. Instead of being understood, he is shut down and written off. I’ve even been told my beautiful, empathetic boy would be “better off in a home or respite care” by the time he is a teenager. Imagine hearing that about your child.
As his mum, his carer, and his advocate, I will never let that happen. Maverick has a brilliant mind — he is curious, outspoken, and deeply empathetic. He is the kind of human who gives up his own happiness to make someone else smile. Since 18 months old he has been in intensive therapy, and has been taught far too young that the way he is will not always be accepted — that he has to change to “fit in.”
But Maverick is so much more than the labels people give him. He adores his school friends, he has immense respect for his teachers, therapists, and parents. He loves his sisters with all his heart — they are his best friends and soulmates. His five-year-old sister already advocates for him and for other children with autism, teaching her peers about the importance of kindness and acceptance.
This October, I’m running for Maverick and for every autistic child who deserves to belong. Even with my own health struggles, I will run because I want to always be able to keep up with him — to chase him, cheer him on, and fight for the opportunities he has been denied.
Your donation will help fund autism assessments, education, specialist therapies, and community services that give autistic people the chance to thrive. Thank you for helping us run toward inclusion.
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