Not the typical logo you would find on a golf course, but this week Ernie Els, who won the Honda Classic after a 3 1/2 year drought, showed up at the PODS Championship with it on his golf bag.
If I didn't love Ernie before, I sure do now. Not only is he a wonderful golfer and a wonderful person, he's a wonderful dad and I know he'll make a wonderful spokesperson for Autism Speaks - just like Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby and Jay Leno and NHL players Olaf Kolzig, Byron DaFoe and Scott Mellanby.
According to Autism Speaks website...Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. Here are some facts most us probably never knew before:
- 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism
- 1 in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum
- 67 children are diagnosed per day
- A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes
- More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
- Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
- Autism costs the nation over $90 billion per year, a figure expected to double in the next decade
- Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
- Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
- There is no medical detection or cure for autism
Ernie's 5 year old son was diagnosed with autism quite a few years ago, but Ernie and his wife Leizl have coped with it privately and silently until now. According to Ernie, his son is quite affected by it, but in the same breath, he said with love, "But he's a lovely boy."
A few years ago...hmmm...funny coincidence that Ernie's game struggled so much over the past few years. I don't think so...
According to Els, "It's been a bit of a challenge. And it's a change of life, a change of priorities. You've got to be ready for it. And it's happening more often. I never knew about it, never thought about it, until it's in your lap."
Just like Tom Watson's life long fight to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease in memory of his caddie Bruce Edwards who died from it in 2004, Ernie will spend a life time working to raise awareness and money and find a cure for what he calls an epidemic.
"We've been taking our time and trying to assess what we need to do, what we want to do," Els said. "We're doing a lot for Ben. But there are a lot of kids like him out there, and worse than him. We're in a fortunate position where money is not a real problem for our family. We can get Ben the right help. Some people are not in the same position. We'd like to raise money for the poor."
I once wrote down all the reasons I love golf, but I never put this on the list until now. I love the game of golf because it gives so much to so many. I love golfers for the same reason.
Golfgal
Ernie Els photo from © Isogood | Dreamstime.com
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