When Patrick Phelan was younger, he wanted to be like everyone else. He even blamed himself and his autism after his stepfather passed away in 2011. It wasn’t until his high school years that he viewed his autism as a blessing.

Patrick was born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1998. His mother moved him to Mississippi when he was two years old, and soon after, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Patrick’s greatest strengths are his compassion and ability to see different points of view.

“I talk to people when they have problems. I listen to them. I like to listen to people’s stories,” said Patrick.

Patrick doesn’t let his autism define him.

“It’s interesting to have autism with a high functioning system. People need to realize that autism is different for each person. We are not all the same. People with autism can learn but may need to be taught differently,” said Patrick.

Patrick learns best by having someone explain things to him with hand movement and motion rather than reading instructions.

He does not like when people categorize individuals based on an assumption of what they think a person is capable of.

“IQ is just a number. You are smart when you learn,” said Patrick.

Being the band manager for seven years during school was a great experience for Patrick and helped him deal with bullying. It helped build his confidence and taught him how to communicate with people by using his humor to break through barriers.

Patrick’s transition out of high school was rocky. He participated in his IEP meetings but claimed the process could have been smoother. He said he would have liked to learn more practical skills in school, such as paying taxes, buying a house, and getting car insurance.

He advises parents and students to be well informed about their rights by researching and staying up to date with everything happening at school.

Patrick hopes to one day fulfill the American dream.

“What gives me passion is freedom, peace, and one day having a family. I want to be independent. Get my own house and have my own business,” said Patrick.

His best advice is not to be lazy.

“You can’t follow your dreams if you sit and watch TV all day. Don’t listen to the bullies. Try to find the right people and friends to support you. Try your best and never give up,” said Patrick. 

Feeling celebrated and included is a vital part of the human experience. The Shine Foundation is a non-profit organization that works diligently to promote inclusion, acceptance, love, and togetherness through the programs they provide.

"We want parents to feel seen and supported. We want them to know we love their children and adults," said The Shine Foundation Executive Director Kelly Winter.

The organization was formed in 2019 by therapists at Beyond Therapy for Kids in Tupelo as a ministry for families of children with special needs in the community.

"We wanted to do more than only provide therapy services. We wanted to love on the entire family and support them," said Kelly.

Before the organization was created, the clinic hosted events for the children they served and raised money for families in need.

Last year's fall festival was their first event for the entire community and became the moment The Shine Foundation was born.

The fall festival was a collaborative event that over 500 people attended. It was made possible by the support and participation of the community, including businesses, churches, schools, and over 300 volunteers. Other family-center events hosted by The Shine Foundation have included a Valentine's Day dance, Christmas parade, and Easter Egg hunt.

This year's Let Your Light Shine Fall Festival will be held on October 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Hope Church in Tupelo. Activities include a fashion show, wheelchair-accessible hayrides, games, trunk-or-treat, dancing, snacks, prizes, a silent auction, and more.

Families who have attended events have remarked on how they enjoyed spending time together in a judgment-free environment where they felt comfortable and accepted.

Having a loved one with special needs can be very isolating. The organization offers support group meetings throughout the year to help parents connect, have fun, and learn about valuable resources in the area. A parent's night out event is scheduled for November 10 at Hope Church in Tupelo.

Giving is at the heart of The Shine Foundation.

The Special Project Fund was started in May 2022. With the help of many wonderful contributors, the organization raised $26,000 for a wheelchair van that was donated to Courtney Mullins and her son Carter who has spina bifida.

Families can apply for the Special Projects Fund by emailing letyourlightshine2021@yahoo.com.

Another mission of the organization is to make the community more inclusive and accessible. They are doing so by raising money and partnering with Playground of Dreams to get an inclusive playground built in Tupelo.

The organization also works with churches to help them see that children's ministry is essential and excellent support for families. Many churches throughout the Tupelo area participated in an inclusive bible school during the summer. 

For more information about The Shine Foundation or to donate, visit them at https://www.facebook.com/groups/4376933815758072 or email letyourlightshine2021@yahoo.com. 

Every October, Blindness Awareness Month brings a heightened focus on the blind and visually impaired community and the realities of living without sight. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “everyone, if they live long enough, will experience at least one eye condition in their lifetime”. The proof is in the numbers. An estimated 2.2 billion people around the globe suffer from some form of visual impairment or blindness – including everyone who simply wears corrective lenses. One billion of these cases could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed.

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International AAC Awareness Month is celebrated around the world each October. The goal is to raise awareness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and to inform the public about the many different ways in which people communicate using communication devices.

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Little People of America launched Dwarfism Awareness Month in 2009 in an effort to raise positive awareness and share information about the lives of people with dwarfism. Many people within the dwarfism community have done great things for Dwarfism Awareness Month, including getting local politicians to recognize October as Dwarfism Awareness Month, asking local businesses to sponsor awareness month activities, and raising money to support awareness causes.

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October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month — a time to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of people living with Spina Bifida. Every October, we share community stories that challenge us to raise more awareness and support for those living with Spina Bifida. As a community, we can do this by raising awareness about Spina Bifida either in our own circles or to the larger networks of which we are a part.

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October

ADHD Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Depression Education and Awareness Month

International AAC Awareness Month

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Dwarfism Awareness Month

Dysautonomia Awareness Month

Dyslexia Awareness Month 

Eczema Awareness Month

Liver Caner Awareness Month

 Learn Disabilities Awareness Month

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Raynaud's Awareness Month 

Rett Syndrome Awareness Month 

Selective Mutism Awareness Month 

Spina Bifida Awareness Month 

World Day of Bullying Prevention - October 5

American Veterans Disabled for Life Awareness Day - October 5

World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

World Mental Health Day - October 10

World Sight Day - October 13

International Stuttering Awareness Day - October 22

Hydrocephalus Day - October 25

World Stroke Day - October 29

November

Alzheimer's Awareness Month

COPD Awareness Month

Diabetes Awareness Month

Epilepsy Awareness Month

 Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate Cancer/Men's Health Awareness Month

International Stress Awareness Week - November 1-5

International Stress Awareness Day - November 6

Cancer Awareness Day - November 7

World Usability Day - November 11

World Pneumonia Day - November 12

World Pancreatic Cancer Day - November 13

World Diabetes Day - November 14

World COPD Day - November 18

December

World AIDS Day - December 1

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - December 3