Wirral charity patron at Downing Street - 7th May 2009 12:00pm
Wirral charity patron at Downing Street to support World Autism Day
WIRRAL patron of a charity helping families cope with autism, Esther McVey, attended Downing Street for World Autism Awareness Day.
She was invited as patron of the group "Full of Life" which offers support to parents and family members, a charity Iain Duncan Smith MP helped establish ten years ago.
The event, hosted at 11 Downing Street, was held to bring awareness to World Autism Day with autism charities attending from around the world.
It is now understood that autism affects one-in-150 children, and affects boys in much greater numbers than girls.
Ms McVey said: "Sadly statistics show that 80 per cent of families caring for an autistic child will break up.
"I became involved with autism after seeing the problems faced by a friend of mine who is caring for her autistic daughter.
"I hope that events such as World Autism Day will help society better understand the issues of autism and generally raise awareness of the problems families can face."
The UN has now designated a World Autism Awareness Day to run in Perpetuity – only the third time a condition affecting human health and wellbeing has been marked in this way.
The UN resolution invites governments, and the public, private and voluntary sectors to observe a day in order to raise awareness of autism.
Ms McVey is Conservative Party PPC for Wirral West.
THE GLOBE
WIRRAL patron of a charity helping families cope with autism, Esther McVey, attended Downing Street for World Autism Awareness Day.
She was invited as patron of the group "Full of Life" which offers support to parents and family members, a charity Iain Duncan Smith MP helped establish ten years ago.
The event, hosted at 11 Downing Street, was held to bring awareness to World Autism Day with autism charities attending from around the world.
It is now understood that autism affects one-in-150 children, and affects boys in much greater numbers than girls.
Ms McVey said: "Sadly statistics show that 80 per cent of families caring for an autistic child will break up.
"I became involved with autism after seeing the problems faced by a friend of mine who is caring for her autistic daughter.
"I hope that events such as World Autism Day will help society better understand the issues of autism and generally raise awareness of the problems families can face."
The UN has now designated a World Autism Awareness Day to run in Perpetuity – only the third time a condition affecting human health and wellbeing has been marked in this way.
The UN resolution invites governments, and the public, private and voluntary sectors to observe a day in order to raise awareness of autism.
Ms McVey is Conservative Party PPC for Wirral West.
THE GLOBE