Elvis lends autistic youngster Henry Kay a helping hand

*Had to share this as it touched home with me in a personal way,
my son is 21 years old and he is autistic, he has had many
challenges in life since the day he was born, until I found the
perfect place for him that makes him happy and comfortable.
Also one where he is able to learn daily life-skills. Charmaine
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September 18, 2008
by Tony Collins - Birmingham Mail

THE parents of a boy of four diagnosed with autism have turned to Elvis to launch a fundraising campaign aimed at providing the youngster with the special help he needs.

Penny and Warwick Kay, from Sutton Coldfield, have taken the step of educating their son Henry at home with the aid of a specialist learning programme.

And to help fund the programme, they have organised a charity event to be held at Pier 39 in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, on November 20.

Called One Night With Elvis, it involves tribute artist Kevin Paul, who was runner-up in a GMTV Elvis competition.

Henry is being educated with intensive one-on-one sessions in a specially adapted room in the family home, designed to allow minimal distraction.

Developed in America by other parents of autistic children, the Son-Rise programme aims to empower parents to develop their child’s social skills of eye contact, communication, flexibility and interactive attention span.

Henry’s parents said he had made amazing progress in the last few months, including an increase in his vocabulary from just 20 words to 500.

But, after failing to obtain financial support from the local authority for Henry’s home-education, Penny and Warwick are now embarking on a fundraising campaign with the help of their two daughters Isabelle, aged ten, and Maddy, six.

Penny said: “We have seen such an amazing change in Henry that we feel we cannot give up just because we can’t get funding.

“We are committed to raising the money and hope the community will get behind our cause in any way they can.”

Warwick, a graphic designer, has set up a website, www.helpinghenry.co.uk . Tickets for One Night With Elvis cost £35. To book, call 0121 355 1465 or visit the website.



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