Hill rally to put focus on challenge of autism
‘I have autism and I have a great life,’ young man to speak at event says
A 21-year-old man with autism will deliver a message of hope Wednesday during a rally on the steps of Parliament Hill.
“I have autism and I have a great life,” Nicholas Sicard said in a phone interview Tuesday.
He says he won’t be nervous when he tells that to a crowd at the third annual Autism on the Hill Rally. The rally is by Quick-Start, an Ottawa organization that raises awareness and promotes early intervention.
More than 160 faces of children with autism will be displayed on a large banner during the rally from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Sicard’s mother, Pina Sicard, said her son is so successful today because he received help early on after he was diagnosed with autism at the age of two.
Now, Nicholas Sicard works part-time as a software tester, goes to the gym twice a week, can ski and swim and plans to run a 10-kilometre race with his mother in May.
He’s also writing a book featuring a man with autism, a character he spent years developing and transformed from a moose to a man.
“Hope you will buy it when it gets published,” Sicard said with a chuckle.
Pina Sicard credits a high school drama teacher for helping her son to flourish. The teacher spotted Sicard doing skits with his friends during recess and invited him to join the drama club. The drama club helped Nicholas Sicard to develop the confidence to successfully run for student council as communications co-ordinator.
Sicard said autism is different for everyone who has it. For him, his biggest struggle was with communication — he didn’t start talking until he was four years old.
“As you can see, I am still working on it today,” he said.
About 100 parents and children are expected to join the rally and listen to Sicard’s speech, including Shannon MacDonald, whose seven-year-old daughter Molly has autism.
MacDonald says she decided to become an advocate for children with autism after Molly had an unfortunate experience during a swimming lesson last year. MacDonald said she was told it wasn’t appropriate to have Molly in the class.
“I ended up sitting there for that whole class crying because she can do it and here they are underestimating her,” McDonald said.
After the swimming teacher was coached on children with autism, he helped Molly to meet the requirements to pass the class.
Molly is also smart outside her swim class, MacDonald said. She reads at the level of a nine-yearold, she can do bird impressions, and loves hockey, especially Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan.
“Take the time to get to know someone with autism,” McDonald said. “They will enrich your life.”