ATP is a national brain tissue donor program that gives over 42 scientists, worldwide, the opportunity to research the causes of, and treatments for autism, by making available to them precious, post mortem brain tissue. This brain tissue research allows these scientists to understand the basic neurobiology of autism so that advances in preventing and curing this disorder may be possible. This research also assists in the development of improved day-to-day treatments and educational interventions, appropriate medications, and a new understanding of the genetics of autism.

You can help if you are the parent of a child or children with autism, are related to someone with autism, or have autism yourself. The ATP is encouraging entire families to consider donating brain tissue for research. In addition, researchers also need brain tissue from people without autism for scientific comparison. To learn more about the program and to register, please visit www.memoriesofhope.org or call 1- 877-333-0999.

Teri Baker Writes about Ragan Ragan McKaye, my youngest daughter, was a darling child with an innate sweetness about her that was hard for anyone to resist. Ragan had the most engaging “DQ” smile to go with the twinkle in her eye. But in spite of her liveliness of spirit, Ragan was unable to share her thoughts, her fears, or her pleasures with her family, because of her autism. Ragan didn’t talk until after her eighth birthday. Her speech was echolalic, with a long phase of perseveration thrown in for good measure. In spite of her diffic ulties with language, Ragan never lost her sense of humor. She found the funny in most every situation, including her own mistakes. Ragan was one of the few children I’ve known who could laugh at herself. Despite the obvious outward signs of her autism (vocal/physical stims; awkward gait; anxiety), Ragan always tried to act as normally as possible, for as long as she could, when she was in public. Ragan’s two older sisters, Erin and Morgan, never hesitated to take their little sister out for a “Sisters’ Saturday Shopping Day”. These once-a-month outings often included a movie. Sometimes Ragan wouldn’t be able to sit through the film, in which case one of her sisters would walk through the mall with her until the film was over. Or they would sit in the car and wait. Erin and Morgan were never detoured by Ragan’s disability. Quite to the contrary, they never failed to find a way to include her as much as her endurance level would permit. I think that how we loved Ragan makes it easier for us to miss her, because we embraced her so fully. I was Ragan’s teacher, and I was always on task. From the time Ragan got up in the morning, until she went to bed at night, I was her constant instructor. In hindsight, I am not sure I had as much fun with Ragan as I could have had, although, we did have fun and funny moments together. I remember the time I had Ragan help me wallpaper the ceiling in our bathroom. That was when I taught her the meaning of words and phrases like: push, push up, pull, pull down, hold, don’t move, and wait just a moment longer. Ragan was almost always up to lending a hand with any task, and did so with a smile on her sweet face. She was an inspiration to her family and her community. Long ago—many years before Ragan died—I realized that this youngest child of mine was a gift. I hope I have honored her gifts, because in the end it was Ragan who was my teacher.

Bio Teri Baker, mother of Erin, Morgan, and Ragan, was divorced one year before Ragan’s death. Her two older daughters lived with Ragan and Teri so that they could watch Ragan while she was at work. Teri worked in the mornings; Erin and Morgan worked in the afternoons (Erin and Morgan own a martial arts school). It was through their experience with their sister, Ragan, that Erin and Mo expanded their school to accommodate children with autism. At present, Teri works in the Springfield School District as a special education teacher’s aide, working directly with children with autism. She is an American Heart Association certified BLS CPR Instructor, and is enrolled at Western International University in its undergraduate program in Behavioral Science. Teri also sits on the advisory board for the Northwest Health Foundation, which awards two-year fellowships to local autism researchers. Despite her very busy schedule, Teri is also a volunteer leader for Autism Speaks.