When we first considered starting a charity for children living with autism there were certain things we knew. We knew for example, that there was a significant need to help families. That by providing programs and services to children on the spectrum, their siblings and parents, we could help families grow and play together – activities and opportunities that simply didn’t exist.
We knew that the places where our son was welcome to play were limited. And, that a primary focus of CAN had to include sports and recreational programs. Not just for the child on the spectrum but for their siblings as well.
We knew that like our son with autism, the population was aging. That there was a demonstrated need to
develop opportunities where young adults could learn valuable skills in hopes of securing volunteer or
employment placements.
And finally, we knew that there was a great need to demystify autism to the community at large and that
education was the key. It is from these basic concepts that the idea for the Canucks Autism Network was born.
As parents, we understand the struggles that families face as they live with autism. We know that while autism strikes an individual, its impact reaches every family member, every teacher, every peer and every community. And while we understand that each person’s journey is as different as their autism experience, we are all bound by the desire to do and provide the very best for our children and families.
Our dreams for CAN are far reaching and we are delighted that so much has been achieved in such a short period of time. Our hope is that families throughout our province will soon have access to CAN programs in their
community.
We extend our sincerest appreciation to the Board of Directors, our staff, coaches and volunteers for their
dedication and for believing that together, we can make a difference.
On behalf of our family, we thank all of you who have joined us over the past year. We are so happy to be on this journey together and look forward to celebrating next year’s accomplishments once again.
Sincerely,
Paolo and Clara Aquilini
