In July, 2009, Craig and Dani Siebert were given a diagnosis for their three year old son that completely changed the course of their lives.

Christian was autistic.

“We didn’t even know anything was wrong.  We thought the warning signs were simply part of his personality.  Autism never occurred to us.  So we were very shocked when the diagnosis came back.”

The day they received the diagnosis, Craig and Dani realized how little they knew about autism.  “We didn’t even really know what it was,” Dani admits.  “We had, of course, heard about it and had a basic idea of the effects that it had, but we were surprised at how little we actually knew about this developmental disability.  It became our mission to learn as much as we could about autism so that we could help Christian reach his full potential.”

Coincidentally, just a few weeks earlier, Dani, who is an avid runner and triathlete, had been searching for an organization to pair up with so that her love for racing could have an impact on raising awareness.  She and Craig, also an avid runner, were searching for an organization that they wanted to support through racing.  So when Christian was diagnosed, they decided to look for an organization that supported autism.

“We began looking and realized there aren’t really any organizations that were geared specifically toward autism awareness.  So we decided to combine our love for racing with our passion for helping our child.”

Craig and Dani also realized very quickly how little insurance companies were willing to do to help children with autism receive the treatements that they needed.  This became the catalyst for their desire to create an organization that supported parents and gave them the necessary information needed to make sure they understood how to best help their children.  So they created a website for parents where they included all the information that was most useful and helpful to them.

“We created I Tri 4 Autism to be both a community of fellowship for those who have been affected by autism as well as a place where people can learn more about autism – what the treatment options are, what’s happening politically regarding insurance companies and coverage for children with autism and so on.  It is exactly what we were looking for – a place to raise awareness.  And we’re using racing as a platform.”

When you visit the I Tri 4 Autism website, you will find not only information on the epidemic of Autism, but you will also be given a list of helpful websites for autism research, books that the Seibert’s found to be particularly helpful, information on vaccines (it was discovered that Christian had allergic reactions to vaccinations), and ways that you can support autism awareness.  From the sale of t-shirts to the ability to donate to Autism Speaks, you will be able to make a financial impact on autism if you so desire.

“There is no financial obligation to I Tri 4 Autism,” Dani is quick to point out.  “Our main goal is to raise awareness.”

You will also find training schedules for 5k’s up to full marathons and triathelons.  These training schedules are designed for everyone from the beginning runner to the more advanced runner and they are meant to help you in your own personal fitness goals while also giving you a chance to race for a reason.  There are so many ways to be involved in autism awareness and Craig and Dani hope that I Tri 4 Autism will be a helpful site for all of those who are searching for answers, treatments, help and a cure.

“We want people who are battling autism to know that they are not alone.  There are many others out there who are dealing with the same struggles and who are walking the same path.  You never know who will be the next to receive a diagnosis of autism for their child.  We wanted to do our part to get information out there in a way that is fun, non-threatening, and beneficial to all,” says Dani.

If you would like to learn more about how you can support Autism Awareness, visit the I Tri 4 Autism website.