HEAL! Healing Every Autistic Life : Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

HEAL! Foundation Newsletter	A Year Review January 2008

in this issue

:: Autism Risk Management Seminar

:: Valley of Dreams

:: A Year in Review

::Featured Recovery Story

Dear Friends and Family of HEAL!

Thank you for your continued interest and support in assisting in the education, awareness, treatment research and prevention for autism. We are glad to have you as a part of our team. Together, we provide a level of encouragement and support for children with autism and their families. We encourage your feedback and invite you to share your story at www.healautismnow.org.

Autism Risk Management
January 24th and 25th

HEAL will partner with the St. John's County Sheriff Department and host this two day seminar. On the evening of January 24th, family members, teachers, administrators and therapists are invited to hear Dennis Debbaudt present an interactive session discussing the risks and safety strategies involved with autism. This event is free and open to the public. The next morning, Dennis will do a special session for the St. John's County Sheriffs office, and the resource officers who staff all the St. John County Public Schools. Both seminars will help us all better understand how to respond to an individual with autism who is in distress.

For more information on the January 24th Seminar click here. To RSVP click here.

Valley of Dreams Event
A huge success for autism!

The Heal Foundation celebrated a dream come true in its success of the first annual Valley of Dreams Charity Gala and Golf tournament. The inaugural event, sponsored by the TPC Sawgrass and the PGA TOUR, was a great success. Over 400 people attended the sold out Valley of Dreams Gala held June 28 & 29 in the beautiful Sawgrass Players Clubhouse. The event raised nearly $400,000 which will continue to enable HEAL's dedication to funding programs in the area of education, therapy, prevention, medical care and research. A special thank you to all who made the 2007 Valley of Dreams a success, and to the PGA TOUR and TPC Sawgrass for selecting the HEAL Foundation for their TPC Adopt a Charity Initiative. Click here to learn more and view photos.

Read more and view photos.

Featured Recovery Story
Keira Parker

My name is Liz Parker. My daughter, Kiera, was diagnosed in 2001, with Severe
Autism. One doctor told me she would, "never even be able to bag groceries." Kiera had 20 "word shapes," could not sleep, would not eat many foods, had a bloated belly and sunken rib cage, often suffered "staring spells," shrieked for hours on end...Read the rest of the story.

A Year in Review

Programs HEAL! has funded

The HEAL Foundation is predicated on five pillars: Education, Awareness, Treatment, Research and Prevention.
HEAL is proud to announce that in 2007 over $150,000 was donated to programs that touch on each pillar. These grants enable families and individuals to attend summer camps, receive costly medical treatments, and participate in different therapies. Funds were also given to enhance and enrich the classroom experiences for many public and private school students in the Greater Jacksonville area.
The HEAL Foundation is dedicated to granting programs and services that provide scholarship or reduced fee programs to families, regardless of need.
Please click here to learn more about HEAL's 2007 Grant Awards or to receive a grant application.

Read program details

Again, we would like to thank you for your continued interest and support. We encourage your feedback and invite you to share your story, a special photo, or a favorite recipe that could be used in our next newsletter or our website. Please write to us at HEAL Foundation, 226-5 Solano Road, #211, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 32082 or at www.healautismnow.org.

Disclaimer - HEAL provides general information regarding medical, research, treatment options, therapies and nutrition to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources, and HEAL does not independently verify any of it. Nothing in this newsletter or website / parent information should be construed as medical advice. Always consult your child's doctor regarding his or her individual needs.

Sincerely,

Leslie Weed and Julie Buckley MD
HEAL Foundation CoFounders