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The board of directors of the KeSean Project from left to right; Ms. Kwanzaa Lapomarede, administrative director, Ms. Savannah Hawes, founder and executive director, and Ms. Stacy Welshons, financial director. The organization is holding its second annual Let’s Strike Out Autism Bowl-A-Thon on Oct. 20 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Strikers Family Sports Center in Lauderhill. (Photo courtesy of the KeSean Project.)
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Reservist turns fear into hope
Posted 10/17/2012 Updated 10/17/2012
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by Staff Sgt. Lou Burton
482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
10/17/2012 - HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- Any parent will tell you that their children are their top priority. The health and happiness of their offspring consume them to work harder and be stronger. But what if a doctor told you that you couldn't help your child; that there was really no hope?
For Staff Sgt. Savannah Hawes, an Aerospace Medical Technician with the 482nd Medical Squadron, that is exactly what happened when her son KeSean was diagnosed with autism.
"When my son was three years old, he was diagnosed with autism," said Hawes. "I was afraid and in denial at first because the doctor basically told me he would never be able to communicate."
The idea of watching her son locked behind a wall of inability to communicate drove Hawes to research the disorder and learn all she could.
"I went on the internet and found as much information as possible," said Hawes. "The only option the doctor who diagnosed my son gave me was that he would require psychiatric therapy, and even with that it was doubtful I would get any results."
The research Hawes found, offered her more hope than the doctor gave.
"I discovered that there are more factors to autism than just psychological issues," said Hawes. "I discovered the gluten free casein free diet."
The diet requires eliminating products that contain gluten, which is in most wheat products, and casein, which is dairy.
"The effects of the gluten and casein on people with autism are the same as a non-autistic person overdosing on morphine," said Hawes. "It puts them in an unreachable stupor that prevents them from communicating with other people."
After learning about the GFCF diet, Hawes implemented the regiment into her son's lifestyle and has never been happier with the results.
"My son is eight years old now and he can talk, hold short conversations, follow two-step directions, and is doing great in school," said Hawes.
Even with the results Hawes has experienced, the GFCF diet has not gained the level of usability in the medical community because of a lack of research.
"The diet is not hard to do, but you have to cook your own food, cross contamination and additives can make a difference," said Hawes.
The personal struggle to find a solution for her son drove Hawes to start the KeSean Project, a non-profit organization aimed at helping families deal with the effects of autism through a myriad of programs and fundraisers.
"We have created several avenues to help families get the help they need," said Hawes. "We provide grants and scholarships to help them afford the GFCF diet for their children. This is very important because most studies done on the GFCF diet are inconclusive due to a lack of participants."
Leading the way to helping families afford the special diet while contributing participants for the large scale study needed to make the diet mainstream, is just one aspect of the organizations assistance.
"Also, we have linked families who have recently had a child diagnosed with autism, with an experienced family with a child with autism," said Hawes. "We also connect families with Defeat Autism Now doctors, who are medically trained pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists, and other specialists who have expanded their education to also work biomedically and homeopathically."
For Hawes, this project is a labor of love. She works as a medical assistant at the Miami Veterans Administration hospital and as a part-time reservist at Homestead ARB. She attends Florida International University, majoring in Psychology. Amid all of this, she works tirelessly for her non-profit organization.
To keep the non-profit program running takes fundraising. This year, the organization is holding its second annual Let's Strike Out Autism Bowl-A-Thon to raise money and awareness. The event will be held Oct. 20 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Strikers Family Sports Center in Lauderhill.
For more information on the organization, to get involved, or bowl for a good cause, visit www.thekeseanproject.org.
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