When I was a kid there was no awareness of other kids with disabilities. Wheel chairs were for old people. There were no classrooms for kids with special needs. Now I look back to realize those families existed, just in the shadows. Those kids were shipped off, far away from their communities. Families were encouraged to institutionalize their children because the care needs were too great. I knew that if I didn’t eat my dinner my mom was going to send it to the starving kids in Africa, but that was it. Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed a change in the air as I hear stories from my friends about their kids. One little boy insisted that the $8.29 he got from recycling go to help the girls with Rett Syndrome. A girl from Claire’s class last year has taken to speaking with her eyes and gets frustrated with her mom when she is not properly acknowledged for her communication attempts. Another of her friends is talking to strangers about Rett Syndrome and getting donations for our Boston effort. A family that just got their papers and are entering into Rettland moved into the town next to us. They keep running into people that know what Rett Syndrome is and haven’t had to explain it *as much*. The point of October, of Rett Syndrome awareness, is for understanding to be spread and it is. We aren’t there yet but we have made great progress. Thank you to everyone who has taken up our story, this change wouldn’t be happening without you.