RICHMOND, Va.-- A Richmond nonprofit known for supporting those with disabilities is changing its annual Autism Awareness Month event due to its founder's health challenges.
The JP Jumpers Foundation will host a festival trail ride instead of its traditional walk on Sunday, April 27, at the Science Museum. The free event will run from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. and feature country line dancing, face painting, a car show and other activities.
Pam Mines, the organization's founder, suffered a stroke last month and can no longer participate in the walking portion of the annual event. However, she didn't want her health situation to prevent the group from raising awareness about supporting families and individuals with autism.
With help from close friend and community member Kimberly Knight, Mines hopes the annual festival, which typically draws hundreds of Central Virginians, will be "bigger and better than ever."
"It was just very important to me to continue the awareness in the city, and honestly, if you have been a part of the JP Jumpers, you look forward to all of the events that they have every single year," Knight said. "So we couldn't be quiet. We wanted to continue to advocate. We wanted to continue to get the word out."
While still recovering, Mines wants to use her situation to remind people, especially caregivers, to prioritize their own health. She also offers advice for families facing a new autism diagnosis.
"My biggest advice is, when you are first diagnosed with, if you when your loved one is first diagnosed with autism, you have or any special needs diagnosis, you have a lot of emotions," Mines said. "You go through... anger, you go through guilt, you go through embarrassment,, frustration, sadness, all of that. But as long as your last emotion is acceptance, then everything will work out."
Click here for more information about the event and the JP Jumpers Foundation.
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