The Philadelphia Walk Now for Autism Expected to Draw 10,000 Walkers and Raise $1 Million to Help Find Answers About the Nation's Fastest-Growing Developmenta...( - Increasing Awareness and Raising...),Health

- Increasing Awareness and Raising Funds to Support Autism Research -

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 10,000 people, including individuals with autism, their families and friends, will come together on September 15 for Autism Speaks/Cure Autism Now's 5th annual Philadelphia Walk Now for Autism raising funds for the nation's fastest-growing developmental disorder, now diagnosed 1 in every 150 children. Funding will support research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and a cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder.

Walk Now for Autism is a 5K (3.1 miles) family walk, autism community resource fair and family fun day at Citizens Bank Park and is expected to raise a million dollars for the national advocacy organization Autism Speaks/Cure Autism Now.

Last year, the Philadelphia walk raised $750,000 and more than $18 million was raised nationally at walks held at multiple locations across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Walk Now for Autism Philadelphia registration begins at 8 a.m.; the opening ceremony, emceed by CBS 3 news anchor Larry Mendte, begins at 9:30 a.m.; the Walk begins at 10 am. The resource fair is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include educational resources, therapists, schools, recreational organizations and creative child-friendly activities. There is no fee to participate in the Walk.

To register, donate or for information, call 1-(888)-8-AUTISM or visit http://www.walknowforautism.org. Walkers are encouraged to sign up in advance and to form teams to add to the fun and the fundraising.

"There are thousands of families who have children with autism and thousands more who love those children and their families," says Marciarose Shestack, mother of Cure Autism Now's co-founder an
'/>"/>