Autism Not So Scary For One Mom
In her own words, ASSEW member and Board member Amy Mason tells what being involved in the Autism 
Society of Southeastern Wisconsin has meant for her and her family:
“Autism was a scary word to me more than 12 years ago when my oldest son, Jake, was given the diagnosis. For help in making sense of the new path our lives would take, my husband and I turned to ASSEW. I remember how comforting it was to meet other parents dealing with the same issues as I and to be able to get access to information so easily through conferences, workshops, support groups, and reading material. Gradually, autism grew less intimidating and the ups and downs became just a part of our lives. I have made many good friends through ASSEW, cultivated lots of professional relationships and learned valuable information to guide me through Jake’s elementary years and now into his high school career and preparing for his transition into the “real” world.
I am still reading and learning all the time about Jake’s mysterious ways, but I also feel an obligation of sorts to give back to an organization which was my safety net in the early years of dealing with the emotions, confusion and exhaustion of raising my son.
As part of my responsibilities as an ASSEW board member, I’ve enjoyed organizing several social events each year. It’s very heartwarming to watch the smiles on the moms’ and dads’ faces as they see their kids happily bouncing around in an inflatable playground, enjoying a private showing of a movie at a theater, getting special treatment at the UWM women’s basketball games, or coming together at a holiday party and seeing Santa in a compassionate and non-judgmental setting.
ASSEW is lucky to have so many committed volunteers involved in working behind the scenes. Many of these people are busy teachers, professionals, or parents like us, who have a passion to stay involved in the local autism community. I get to hear about a lot of great ideas and hopes for future opportunities with ASSEW, but it’s the people who bring those ideas to life.
The services our chapter brings to our area are immeasurable. So many professionals look to ASSEW to help them network, navigate through the autism jungle and understand the point of view of the family.
I hope more people will find a way to get involved, whether it’s attending a workshop, organizing a swim night, or being on the board. I’m glad I did.
Autism isn’t quite as scary a word anymore.”
Amy and her husband, John, live in the Town of Lisbon with their four children: Jake, 15, Katie, 13, Jeremy, 10, and Andrew, who’s nine. Jake attends Arrowhead High School and is on the Special Olympics Volleyball team.