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How would you feel if… 

• You cannot put your many thoughts into words 

• You find even the smallest sensations unbearably irritating 

• You often make your family sad and angry, but you don’t know why 

• You have almost no friends 

• Everyone messes up the way you do things 

• Each time you go out, people stare at you and avoid you 

• No one ever seems to understand you 

 

Would you want to live like this? 

 

For people with autism, that is often their reality, every single day. 

 

Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain, with no known cause or cure. With an estimated 1 in 100 people with autism, you’ve probably met a person with autism before; perhaps a distant relative who never talks, a stranger shouting for no good reason on the bus, or that ‘weird’ ex-classmate that you prefer to avoid. 

 

People with autism are affected in many ways, especially in their ability to communicate and interact with others. You and I may find it difficult, or even impossible, to understand someone who speaks a different language. Similarly, a person with autism may find it difficult, or even impossible, to understand basic social skills. 

 

A person with autism might cry loudly at night when he is lonely, not knowing that it disturbs and annoys nearby neighbours. He might jump queues and push others, not understanding that he needs to wait his turn. He may even take food without asking or paying, if he is hungry, without realising that he is stealing. 

 

Such behaviour is often wrongly attributed to mischief or poor parenting, with the person with autism or his caregivers getting scolded and avoided as a result. This is why parents or siblings of people with autism often don’t talk about it. It’s often easier to just stay at home and avoid trouble. 

Thankfully, just as you and I can learn new languages, the good news is that people with autism can also learn to overcome their social difficulties. However, this takes patience, trained teachers, and a lot of time and resources.  

 

This is where you can help. 

 

By attending this concert, you are not just funding some treatment for some people with autism. You are helping to bring hope to many families in Singapore who suffer and despair behind closed doors. 

 

We hope that you will seriously consider donating to our beneficiary, St. Andrew’s Autism Centre (SAAC). The staff there want to provide the best support for both their clients with autism, as well as their families. Every little bit that you can give helps SAAC to make its services as affordable as possible.  

 

We also hope that, through this concert, you will learn a little bit more about autism, and become more understanding and accepting of these individuals in our society. 

 

So don’t be afraid when you see their True Colours, for people with autism are people too. 

 

We hope you enjoy the concert. 

 

-Project ANGEL@LKC