Nearly a decade ago, Vignesh Athavan began services with the SAAAC Autism Centre. Diagnosed with autism at the age of 4, Vignesh had challenges with communication and kept mostly to himself. But his energy and spirit were undeniable.
Over the years, with the support of so many around him, including himself, Vignesh was able to build stronger communication skills and flourished into a thoughtful leader. Once a program participant of SAAAC, Vignesh would later become a volunteer at our Centre, helping other students like himself navigate a life with autism.
Dreaming of one day becoming a detective, Vignesh wants to support his community and inspire others. As part of a leadership competition, Vignesh had prepared a speech about his journey with autism. This World Autism Awareness Day, he wanted to share that speech with the SAAAC community.
Vignesh’s speech finds inspiration in another autism self-advocate, Kerry Magro, who says “Autism can’t define me, I define Autism!”.
Please join us, share, and support incredible individuals like Vignesh this #WorldAutismAwarenessDay.