Reflections
As part of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's 50th anniversary celebration, families, researchers, staff, trainees, and others shared their reflections. View a sample below, and select "more" to view additional comments.
| A reflection from a family |
| I will never forget the moment I learned my son had autism—the fear, the confusion, the helplessness—how could I ever learn all I would need to know to raise this precious little person who experiences the world in ways I can’t imagine? The Families First program at the VKC was there from the beginning—educating, supporting, and encouraging us. And they were there three years later when I lived that moment a second time, the day I learned my daughter had autism—ready to help in every way they could. Elizabeth Stivers - Parent See More... |
| A reflection from a trainee |
 | As a Postdoctoral Fellow, I was a trainee with LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities]. This experience was invaluable to my current work as a clinical psychologist who specializes in diagnosing very young children with autism. My LEND training enhanced my abilities to understand families’ perspectives, to collaborate across disciplines, and to maintain cultural competence, all of which helps me provide better care to children and parents at a very difficult moment in their lives. Amy Weitlauf - VKC Member and Former LEND Trainee See More... |
| A reflection from a professional |
 | Recently a mother shared with me that over four decades ago she gave birth to a baby girl with Down syndrome. The medical staff and others strongly encouraged her to give her daughter over to an institution as it was the best option at the time. While in the hospital a social worker from the Kennedy Center discussed services and resources available to her if she chose to keep her child in her care. As a result of their conversation she decided to raise her child with the support of her family and this Center. This family is currently thriving in their community. To work somewhere that touches people’s lives on such an incredible level is an experience I am very fortunate to be part of. Sarah Harvey - VKC Disability Professional See More... |
| A reflection from a researcher |
 | Early in my career my lab focused on fundamental neurobiology and identifying genes and proteins that impact chemical signaling. When I came to Vanderbilt and joined the VKC, I was encouraged to consider how my work on serotonin and dopamine transporters might link to neurodevelopmental disorders. I was impressed early on with the breadth of talent assembled by the VKC and the connections I made in this community started me down that path. My lab’s work is very focused, just one step, and our efforts might be wasted if not embraced in a larger context. I started my translational efforts with a VKC Hobbs Discovery Grant, and have been excited to see these efforts blossom. This grant allowed me to develop approaches to scan human transporter genes for mutations, efforts that led to the discovery or alterations in the dopamine transporter in subjects with ADHD, as well as changes in the serotonin transporter gene in subjects with autism. These mutations, which remain under active study in our lab as well as with collaborators, have led to significant funding from the NIH, and have been transferred into animal models so that we may gain insights into brain changes and possibly develop new treatments. Randy Blakely, Ph.D. - Pharmacology and Psychiatry See More... |
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