In nine months, the $28-million Pacific Autism Family Centre will open its doors in Richmond, and Global News was given an exclusive tour of the building, which is now under construction.
The centre will help those with autism and all related disorders. It will be a hub for research, assessment and intervention. Support and training will also be provided for older individuals.
An estimated 56,000 people in BC live with autism, a neuro-developmental disorder. Currently one in 68 children are diagnosed with autism. That number is even higher for boys.
The P.A.F.C. is the dream of founder Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, the mother of a profoundly autistic son. She has been gathering support and funding for the project for the past 11 years. According to her, the P.A.F.C. will bring together “universities and hospitals and behaviourists and other professionals as well as families. Families are the core to this project.”
Approximately 60 organizations will come together at the centre, which has been designed with sensitivities in mind. All lighting, flooring and colours have been chosen to provide a calming atmosphere for visitors.
The building is also wired with the latest technology, so that all of the knowledge garnered here can be shared. As Lisogar- Cocchia says, “the one thing I require as a parent is information, especially at the transition stages of an individual’s life. And so we really wanted to make sure that we get as much information centralized so it can be disseminated out to families across the province.”
Eight smaller centres will open around the province in the next few years, completing the “hub and spokes” model.
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