Published: Wednesday, 11th November, 2009 5:00pm

Bright Stars fundraiser a shining success

The annual benefit dance for the Bright Stars autism support group in Kingscourt took place last weekend in Cabra Castle and raised €5,000 to help support children with autism in the area. Maeve Leahy, one of the group's founders, said it was a great night with great support from the local people. Entertainment on the night included Irish dancing, line dancing at a Joe Dolan tribute by Tom O'Rourke.

But Maeve revealed to The Anglo-Celt that the €5,000 will have run out in a couple of months. It will be used to provided Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) tuition to four children with autism. They will each receive six hours one-to-one tuition a week in a space in the Kingscourt Community Centre.

"Even that's not enough. They need at least 20 hours per week," revealed Maeve. ABA tuition is regarded as the most effective for children with autism helping them to develop to their full potential. But because it is one-to-one, it is very expensive.

"The money will be eaten up in a couple of months. We will have to do more fundraising. We're just praying and hoping that the government will do something. We are campaigning for a new school here and are working with Kevin Whelan in Irish Autism Action to achieve that goal," outlined Maeve.

The children currently availing of the ABA tuition are Josh Leahy (eight years), Kingscourt; Jack Watters Reilly (nine years), Kingscourt; Jake Swan (six years), Kingscourt and Louise McCaffrey (twelve years), Bailieboro.

All of the children's parents report "miraculous" improvements in the children's day-to-day living and communication skills since beginning ABA tuition.

"Children with autism are very intelligent, but they have to learn how to learn. The hardest thing on them is that they are a little bit isolated, if they don't have the social interaction of going to school every day like other children," explained Maeve to the Anglo-Celt previously.

She feels that with her son Josh's particular learning needs, mainstream school isn't an option.

Maeve and the other Bright Stars parents are all very grateful to the local community for supporting them on this and previous occasions, and also thanked Cabra Castle who were "great as usual".

But until the education needs of the children are adequately provided for, Bright Stars will continue to need support to give their children the best chance for the future.

Anyone affected by autism can contact bright stars at 042-9693733 for information.

For more pictures, see this week's Anglo-Celt.