April is Autism Acceptance month, I will again be participating in the Race for Autism SUPERHERO Challenge! Please help me by making a contribution to my team's fundraiser and sharing this page with your family and friends. Every dollar we raise goes directly to support autism programs and services.

Here is my story and connection to autism:

You may know that I am passionate about helping children and families thrive through my career as a Pediatric Physical Therapist. One population near and dear to my hear is individuals with autism. I first encountered an autistic boy when I was a child myself. I met a younger boy at a family gathering. He was about the age of my younger brother and I was tasked with keeping them entertained. I noticed this child had his own way of communicating and was often misunderstood. I built a connection with him and began to understand him easily. Eventually, I learned more about ASD and began to work with more autistic children through volunteering opportunities. In fact, my experience teaching karate to young autistic kids is what launched me into a career in physical therapy. I wouldn't change my path for anything.

This year, our team goal is 54k to represent that 1 in 54 kids in the US is diagnosed with ASD. I encourage you to learn more about autism and how you can learn to accept and include autistic and neurodivergent people to make our community better!

Thank you again for your support and for being a Hero for Autism Acceptance!

Best,
Dr. Michele Kunde, PT, DPT
Pediatric Physical Therapist and Superhero ;)