Senator Costa: Thank you very much, Governor. And thank you for your leadership on this very important issue, and helping coordinate today’s activity I think is very important. And I want to thank all of you here today for joining us. I’m honored, actually, to join you today to take part in such an important occasion about an issue effecting families in Pennsylvania and all around our world. And last week, during our session, my colleagues and I adopted a resolution noting April as Autism Awareness Month, and we took a moment to recognize the importance of World Autism Day. And part of that recognition, it was, I mentioned earlier, focuses on statistics. And we’ve heard a lot of them. And as we all know what very well those statistics show that the number of children living with autisms continues to grow. For many, the sheer increase in the number moves them to work harder and to try to find new therapies and new treatments.
But I want you to know the numbers aren’t what motivates me to be here today, and what motivated my remarks on the Senate floor of last week. While talking about the statistics and recognizing the work to find answers and treatment is critically important to the conversation, far too often we don’t take enough time to talk directly. Talk directly to those living with autism and supporting loved ones as well. So today, as I did on the Senate floor last week, I want to focus on all of your families; the families and the children who are dealing with this condition, and are champions for all of you. Each one of you is different. The men of your stories and your lives have taken similar paths, and as a result, you support and lift one another up.
I really have never seen a community of people; really a family of advocates lift each other up the way those with autism and the autism community do. You truly are an inspiration, and can all learn a lot from your example. That’s why last week I asked my colleagues to question when was the last time that we stopped; really stopped to recognize the everyday heroes supporting someone living with a disability, specifically autism? We all know it’s easy to stand up and say that you support the cause, but I wonder how often folks slow down enough to walk a day in your lives, to really understand what it takes to help families, and more importantly children achieve success amid some of the most challenging circumstances. So today that’s why I don’t want to focus on numbers. The numbers of children and adults with autism and how those numbers are growing. Today, I wanted to spend one more day asking everyone to recognize all of you and your beautiful children, because that is what truly is Autism Awareness is about.
More importantly, I want to thank you for always being present and for making sure your voices are heard; heard here in the capital and in your communities, and around the commonwealth. We learn so much from your advocacy. And we look forward to our continued work together.
It is events like these that serve as a strong reminder about the importance of the work that we do here in the capital; working on legislation that provides the needs of your families, and hopefully opening new doors to the future for your children. Today, once again, I’m committing myself to the most important cause and encourage my colleagues to join me in pledging to continue listening to all of you, and all of your supporters whenever, and wherever we can.
Thank you very much for allowing me the opportunity to speak.