Tony and Kelly Ji thought there was something unusual with their son Andrew when he was little as he rarely talked and seemed to interact differently from other children his age.
Growing up, they knew Andrew was different by the limited interest he showed in interacting with others and his lack of social skills. After deciding to take a trip to their doctor’s office to ask some questions, it wasn’t long before Andrew was diagnosed with autism, a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by impaired social inter-action and verbal and non-verbal communication and by restricted and repetitive behaviour.
At first glance, Andrew seems just like any other boy, joyful with lots of energy, but through interaction with him, you would be quick to realize that Andrew’s autism affects more of his social skills than his verbal skills, despite being very shy and quiet around others. Tony and Kelly have arranged for Andrew to be part of a small group each week where he works with a behavioral interventionist to improve his skills.
Andrew goes to school like every other little boy, but tells us that his most favourite time of the year is when he gets to attend one week at Easter Seals Camp Squamish with other children just like him. Being yourself in an environment with your peers is the best part of camp for Andrew and the reason he can’t wait to go back each year.
The Ji family is so grateful for Easter Seals Services and was so enthusiastic when asked if they would like to attend Easter Seals events and share their story with others through articles such as this. When approached to be an ambassador for Easter Seals BC/Yukon the Ji family felt honoured, with Tony mentioning that, “This will be good for Andrew; he loves going to events and the different experiences will be beneficial to him. We’re so happy to support a cause that has supported Andrew so much.”
Thanks to fundraising events like Snowarama and Winterfest, Andrew and over 900 other kids get to attend Easter Seals Camp to have the best week of their year and interact with other children that face many of the same challenges they do each day. At Easter Seals Camps, campers like Andrew can focus on what they do best . . . being a kid!
BC Easter Seals Camps offer safe, fun activities in an environment where the focus is on abilities, not disabilities.
For more information on these camps and other Easter Seals programs, visit EasterSealsBC.ca.
