Greetings,

Welcome to my personal fundraising page for the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).  I am training for the 2008 Marine Corp Marathon which takes place October 26,2008, in Washington, DC.  The reason I am raising money for OAR is simple, my brother Michael Abrams Leal, Mikey to all who know and love him. Mikey  was born almost 21 years ago with Down Syndrome, and to complicate matters was later diagnosed with autism.  Autism is a neurological disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact socially.  There is an estimated 1.7 million children and adults with autism in the United States.  For those diagnosed and their families, autism is a lifelong challenge.  In addition to my brother being autistic, my sister Laura, who is also running, is a special education teacher who interacts directly with autistic children on a daily basis.  I am raising funds to aid OAR further their mission to fund research studies that will offer new insights into the development of individuals with autism.  To date OAR has invested over $1.4 million in autism pilot studies and awarded $68,000 in research grants to graduate student. 

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to my fundraising efforts. $0.87 of every dollar donated goes  directly to OAR's autism research and information programs.  Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

Thank You For Your Support!

Gabe