Friday, April 15, 2011

Mary Pat Christie Pushes Caring Agenda For NJ

First Lady Mary Pat Christie and daughter Bridget’s second-grade class at the Assumption School in Morristown, promote autism awareness as part of the 8th annual Blow Bubbles 4 Autism Day.
The song lyrics say that tiny bubbles make people happy and today New Jersey's First Lady Mary Pat Christie, along with her daughter Bridget’s second-grade class at the Assumption School in Morristown, armed themselves with wands of bubbles to promote autism awareness as part of the 8th annual Blow Bubbles 4 Autism Day.

The event is the brainchild of Isabelle Mosca of Ventnor, New Jersey whose son Kyle has autism.

“Blowing bubbles is an activity that brings smiles to children’s faces,” said Mrs. Christie. “I can’t think of a more creative and fun way to raise understanding of this development disability and support families who experience the challenges of autism every day. This is such a worthwhile program and I thank Isabelle for leading the Blowing Bubbles 4 Autism effort.”

For one minute today, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:01 a.m., schools, businesses and people throughout the nation and around the world were encouraged to take part in the awareness campaign while helping to set the Guinness Book of World Records for people simultaneously blowing bubbles in multiple locations. To set the record, 37,000 people needed to participate.

Autism is a spectrum of disorders that is complex and lifelong. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nationwide, it is estimated that autism occurs in 1 out of every 110 births. In New Jersey, the prevalence rate is reported to be 1 in 94. It is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls and affects families of all races, ethnicities and socio-economic groups. Autism awareness is a new advocacy area being embraced by First Lady Mary Pat Christie to bring greater understanding of the developmental disability. During the month of April, she will be will be highlighting the innovative work being done by organizations throughout the state to serve people with autism spectrum disorder.

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