FOREVER BOY: Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy by Kate Swenson

Approximately 1 in 54 children in America is diagnosed with autism, making Autism Awareness Month each April ever more crucial to spreading awareness, knowledge, and most importantly, compassion, for those with autism in their lives. One of those people is Kate Swenson, whose world stopped when her then-toddler, Cooper, was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism. Cooper is now eleven, with three younger siblings, and Kate shares posts and videos of their day-to-day life in the community of 730K+ that she’s built across her blog, Finding Cooper’s Voice, and Facebook page. With her popular blog Finding Cooper's Voice, Kate Swenson has provided hope and comfort for hundreds of thousands of parents of children with autism. Now, Kate shares her inspiring story in this powerful memoir about motherhood and unconditional love. When Kate Swenson’s son, Cooper, was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism, her world stopped. She had always dreamed of having the perfect family life. She hadn’t signed up for life as a mother raising a child with a disability. At first, Kate experienced the grief of broken dreams. Then she felt the frustration and exhaustion of having to fight for your child in a world that is stacked against them. But through hard work, resilience, and personal growth, she would come to learn that Cooper wasn’t the one who needed to change. She was. And it was this transformation that led Kate to acceptance - and ultimately joy. In Forever Boy, Kate shares her inspiring journey with honesty and compassion, offering solace and hope to others on this path and illuminating the strength and perseverance of mothers. MORE: http://getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org