Mangaluru: Special children/parents paint city blue with Autism awareness walk at Kadri Park

Bellevision Media Network

Mangaluru, 26 Apr 2022: April being Autism awareness month, special parents support group, Mangaluru organized an autism walk at Kadri Park, here on April 24 at 4.30pm onwards.

 

Many special families came along with their special ones and there were several volunteers who joined us in this autism walk supporting the special families.

 

It was a wonderful sight to behold. The children and parents and supporters all dressed in blue holding banners with beautiful statements like Autism is awesome, I love someone with autism, autism is a different ability not disability!!

 

After a 20 min walk participants gathered together at one end of park. There was a special face painting and nature painting session for the special ones led by Sapna Noronha and Nicola. Everyone enjoyed with refreshments. It was a time for parents to get to know each other better and share their problems and laugh together!

 

 

The special parents are really the warriors of the special ones who can’t speak for themselves.

 

By this walk they intend to create awareness among people and hope for better acceptance. Coming together for this walk is a step forward towards an inclusive community in Mangalore.

 

They hope for more such events in future!!

 

She said the walk was being held to help make Mangaluru an inclusive society by bringing together families especially parents with similar struggles and challenges.

 

The Special Parents Support Group will work towards forming a network of support for parents and also to bring joy, love, respect and laughter into their special lives – their children, she said.

 

Meena Noronha, founder of special parents support group said  there is a need to bring these special children to one place in the city and to the forefront so that equal and more opportunities are provided to them, be it in school, centers, events, workplaces or society at large adding that special children need to be integrated into the society.

 

‘There is a societal, emotional, mental and financial pressure on all special parents. They hesitate to bring their special ones out in the open fearing ridicule, difficulties due to non-acceptance by society. Hence a support system helps them in gaining the strength to go through this journey,’ Noronha said.

 

The support group was started two-and-a-half years ago during the pandemic which started operations in the month of December 2021.

 

The walkathon was followed by the activities for the children.