AEIOU News

BRIDGE TO BRISBANE BLUE CREW

Mon, 19 Jul 10

MEDIA RELEASE

JULY 2010

BRIDGE TO BRISBANE BLUE CREW RUN FOR AUTISM

The annual Bridge to Brisbane Fun Run is approaching again so it’s time to join the AEIOU Foundation’s record making “Blue Crew” and help make a difference for children with autism.

The charity focus of the 2010 The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane is Autism Spectrum Disorders, an increasingly prevalent neurological disorder affecting an estimated 1 in 160 Australians.

Autism is a lifelong disorder with no known cure and current treatment programs are in short supply. The AEIOU Foundation is a Queensland charity providing valuable early intervention therapy to children under the age of five diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

AEIOU Founder, Dr James Morton said “funds raised from Bridge to Brisbane will help allow AEIOU to expand our early intervention services into more Queensland communities and allow us to help more children learn the skills to reach their full potential”.

The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane has grown to become Queensland’s largest community event with more than 45,000 Brisbanites taking part in 2009.

Last year’s AEIOU Blue Crew set the team fundraising record with 65 team members raising approximately $28,000. This year The Blue Crew aims to have 100 members and reach their goal of $30,000.

Already this year, The Blue Crew is placed in the top ten on the team fundraising ladder with the help of their latest entrant, baby Zoe - the youngest Blue Crew member yet at 6 months of age!!

Mother of a child attending AEIOU, Hayley Crowley, is gearing up for a second year running to battle the 10km run with her mother in-law to support AEIOU.

Hayley said ‘the AEIOU Foundation has been life changing for my family and son Ethan who was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2 and half, we have been amazed at his progress since starting the AEIOU early intervention program in January 2009 at Bray Park.’

 ‘Our paediatrician recommended the AEIOU program to us, it is the only program that offers full time high quality early intervention, they also provide parents the skills to help their children in a home setting and in the public environment’ she said.

‘We are so grateful to all the staff for all the hard work and dedication that they put into this early intervention program. We know that Ethan's future will be brighter because of The AEIOU foundation,’ Hayley said.

‘It’s wonderful to see so many people of all ages and fitness level getting behind the cause, I aim to raise $500 and to continually support AEIOU so many more children with autism have the best opportunity to reach their full potential,” Hayley said.

The AEIOU Foundation is a leading Queensland not for profit organisation dedicated to providing high quality centre-based early intervention program for children aged 2½ to 6 years diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

For information on joining the AEIOU Blue Crew email Jane Harris on jane.harris@aeiou.org.au or call 3320 7575.The Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane is on 29 August 2010. Registrations are open now.