Our son, Ayden, has blessed us in so many ways. He is an amazing little boy who brings us so much joy each and every day. Ayden was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. Autism is a spectrum of symptoms and no 2 days are the same when it comes to this disorder. Ayden has opened our eyes to new and different ways of looking at the world, as well as acknowledging that we have not been able to do what so many other families are able to do, like taking a family vacation. We have not taken a family vacation since Ayden was born in 2017 and with Ayden's diagnosis 2 years ago, taking a family vacation has really been put on the back burner. Something that so many other families can do so easily is quite challenging for all of us as a family unit, especially for Ayden. We can't just hop on a plane like many others can; we can't wait in lines for hours like many others can; we can't have many unexpected changes in routine - all of which are aspects of many family vacations.
Autism on the Seas is a non-profit company that allows families like ours to experience a vacation that, at one time, we would have imagined to be impossible. They arrange specific special needs accommodations with the cruise lines and they provide professionally qualified staff to assist us with expedited port check-in, meal assistance, pool time supervision, beach excursions, respite (time for Ayden to be well cared for while the rest of the family can do other things), and many other perks and assistance. Autism on the Seas also provides pre-cruise professional consultation and valuable resources, including connecting with other families for support.
We have decided to book a family vacation cruise for April 2022 and we are very excited for the opportunity to travel together as a family with some specialized assistance for Ayden so he can access all a cruise has to offer. We are so grateful that a program like Autism on the Seas exists to help families like ours enjoy a vacation beyond the challenges that autism presents. We are also so incredibly grateful to you for reading our family story and for your consideration of donating to our family vacation. Thank you so much!
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