Testimonials

If you would like to submit a testimonial about your experiences

with the Canadian National Autism Foundation, please email us your testimonial and we will post it here.

Thank you to all those who have submitted a testimonial to us.

Tina...

This is something else I want to say to you, Tina. I want to express how grateful I was to be able to make contact with you. You've been generous enough with your time to have two phone conversations with me, last November 2022 and just recently, a few weeks ago. This has meant a great deal to me, given that you were one of only a few people (even within the autism community) to respond to me at all, and that fact makes it seem as if the indifference to these issues within our society is almost insurmountable.

What also became clear to me (during our first conversation last November) is that you possess not only an understanding but also a deep insight into the autistic nature. You clearly grasped my life experiences and their ramifications immediately, even before I had a chance to provide you with all the details.I can't describe the comfort that that gives someone like myself living as an autistic, knowing that there are individuals out there (who are either autistic themselves or must deal intimately in their lives with someone who is) who really do "get it". The best knowledge and insight gained is direct experiential knowledge and insight.

Our society labours under the misconception that insight such as yours can only be attained by earning academic credentials that, in turn, imbue that individual with expertise, and as such, they are considered "experts". This is utter nonsense and frankly, is purely based on elitism and egos. In fact, the word "expert" should be stricken from the dictionary. As a species, we are only as good as our current state of knowledge, and that is ever-changing constantly. If there are indeed individuals that come close to being "experts", it is direct experiential knowledge that made them that way, not academic credentials. Anyone can be brilliant, no matter what their background or education. I have strong opinions on this topic Tina, so I hope you don't mind me sharing my perspective on this.

Thanks so much once again Tina. I'm looking forward to speaking with you further.

Best Kate (Aspergers) Canada -2023

Tina- I am a very blessed mother of boy/girl twins - though I had tried for many years - they finally arrived when I turned 42 - a bit late to start being a mom - but career had always come first and we were so happy when they showed up - healthy. Most moms and dads hope and pray their children are born healthy - and usually think 10 fingers and 10 toes is a good start. But for parents of children with autism the joy and can be extinguished as their children turn 2 or 3 and they notice "something" is different. The statistics for autisim has increased in recent years and several of my closest girlfriends are dealing with this issue. The problem is autism doesn't fit in a neat little package or is something a doctor can give a pill and cure and often your son and daughter looks "normal" on the outside - but something is definately different. How do you know, how do cope, how do you help? As I watched my friends deal with endless days and nights of frustration I am grateful that Tina and her foundation have set up and give tireless so much energy to help educate people about what is going on, some of the myths and some of the help that is now available.

As a health and fitness expert I have been witnessing and researching the effects of food and movement on children deal with autism and it seems to have a positive effect - while not a cure all - it can be a step in the right direction and for that and some many other reason - I support and believe in what Tina's doing. Raising children should be a joy and a blessing - let's help make that a reality for all parents.

With love and hope in my heart for us all --
Forbes Riley
CEO SpinGym
www.MySpinGym.com

"My son is called Chonga AbdulRahman Adaku born on 5th June, 2002. We
as a young couple then started suspecting an abnormality when he was
about three years and lacked attention. He could shout a lot and never
settle at a place. Worried about his inability to speak, we started
consulting general Pediatricians who continued giving the child medicine to control the hyperactivity and advised us to enroll the child at a General Nursery School to enhance his social interaction with his Peers. The drugs did not help much improve his speech on top of taking him to the Nursery School. After about one and half years I lost hope and stopped taking him to the School for two reasons: He was not improving and yet I was struggling to raise dues all this time which became difficult for me to afford. Life became unbearable to my wife too. She could not believe seeing her first born in such condition when the age mates are daily dropped to School. Some advised me to take him for rituals which I could not take. We were facing a lot of stigma.
After two year's withdrawal from School I had a bitter and painful
experience. We were traveling in a car together with my wife and the
Child. We passed near his former School and he was able to recognize
the site and environment. Although unable to speak, he opened his eyes
wide and looked at the compound and then he pointed. My wife cried
because the boy has a normal memory, he could not continue at School
because we lost hope and lacked the financial resources. Because of
the unbearable psychological torture we had in ourselves, this year,
early January 2009, we started a move and decided to consult a
Psychologist at a local Hospital, Kampala International Hospital who
identified the boy's condition as autism which became a landmark
diagnosis in our life. She advised us that he needs behavioral
remodeling and be taken to a special care School. She gave us sites so
that we could at our own times be able to get enough information about
autism and how it is being managed in other parts of the world.This is
how I landed on Canadian National Autism Foundation. Madam Tina
Fougere, the President and Founder has been of great help to us. Her
initial response was positive to us because she really understands the
condition she deals in.I remember our first contact was on phone and
she took my e-mail address and pleaded with me that it would be
expensive for me if we continued talking on phone and indeed she kept
her word and sent me mail. She has exchanged with us a lot of resources which will go a long way helping us and improve the child's condition. She really has a positive attitude to humanity regardless of race, color, etc. I am sure her efforts will be rewarded in history. She really has raised our specs to greater heights. She has had an enormous contribution despite her organization limits. Her encouraging quotations are still fresh in my mind.

Long Live Madam Tina long, Live CNAF.
Thank you
Akanya I Adaku, Parent from Uganda, East Africa"

“one day .. i was basically pulling my hair out ...my son who has,always been unique ..was having more issues now that he started school ... i guess i have been in denial a long time ..anyhow .. he fitted aspergers to aT.... so i call info they give me this number and i call it .. it is tina at the autism foundation in canada...I can tell you .. im american .. but tinahas helped me more then any american autism foundation ..but on one of me and tina's conversations she was at home with her son and was answering from home .. see how dedicated she is ... and here i was having a hard time dealing with my sons aspergers .. and i realized .. listening to tina talking to her son who has autism in the background .. and who has it worse then my own son ... and here she is running this autism center and helping others .. that there is light at the end of the tunnel ... i salute tina . and her family god bless them ... and thanks tina for showing me ..our children are so many more things then being just a kid with autism or aspergers .. or pdd nos .. which pdd nos is one of the diagnoses that my sons rx now ....... thanks tina ... love tammy ... ps.. it was worth the $500.00 dollar phone bill i got from calling you :)

tammy davis kansas, USA .. son with pdd nos”

Your website is wonderful and sooo informative.The song is truly touching and reaches into a special understanding of our special children.
Marion from Ottawa

help them. You have helped me out so much. I am glad I met you and spokewith you. It`s nice to have someone there to listen and help you. Thank you.

Thank you again for all the support and of course the mountain of resourcesyou have to share with families. Help comes in many different ways and I am glad to of found you.

Thank you for helping me with the SSAH where I was getting no answers or support. You knew the right people to contact to get my 11/2 wait to move

helped me to read some of this. Just when I think me and my husband are convinced that we need to look at our other options out there and POSSIBLY consider segregation, we get some really good days and I re-think everything again.