NOTE: Below is Lisa Goes testimony to at the 2013 IACC Strategic Plan Update Workshop today. Thank you, Lisa. Good Morning. My name is Lisa Joyce Goes. I am co-author of The Thinking Moms’ Revolution book, co-founder of The Thinking Moms’ Revolution, social thought movement, a contributing editor to Age of Autism, and a human rights panelist for The Academy of Excellence in Learning in the south suburbs of Chicago. Most importantly, I am a wife and mom to three kids, one of whom suffers the tragic effects of iatrogenic autism. My friend Megan is here today, like many of my colleagues, to deliver testimony about my son, NOAH Patrick Goes. But unlike them, she will be sharing his life from the perspective of my father-in-law. Unorthodox I know but, his observations need to be documented for the public record, so that all American citizens may be privy to the reality of iatrogenic autism and how it directly impacts our society and culture. As a deacon in our community, my father-in-law was tasked with the job of writing a homily about what it means to be a true disciple; a man of honor and integrity, who puts the welfare of others before himself and truly serves his fellow man in the present. After thoughtful reflection, he decided to speak about our dear family friend, the good Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Dr. Andy has been instrumental in helping us find proper medical care for our son Noah, who, upon receiving the correct diagnosis of autistic enteritis and esophagitis and receiving appropriate gastrointestinal care for his illness, was finally potty trained in a matter of weeks. This normal milestone for most families experienced during the toddler years came with much celebration in ours. Not just because we were a household that no longer had to pay the monthly cost of diapers, but, also because after 6 long years of searching for answers to the painful yellow grainy, hot liquid that would pour from our sons bowels, at times, 20 times a day, leaving large raised painful rashes in their wake—we finally had a real diagnosis that lead to viable treatment, rather than the repeatedly documented, untreated and ignored “toddler diarrhea associated with autism.” So, along with my immediate family, my parents and in-laws journeyed with us through Noah’s treatment, and grew to know the Good Doctor Andy quite well. Now, I knew the huge risk my father-in-law took deciding to speak about Dr. Wakefield in this manner. I asked him, repeatedly, if this was something he really wanted to address from the pulpit. But he stood firm, knowing Dr. Andy to be a man of character. So, I sat in the congregation the day he delivered our family’s truth, and spoke to a church that serves over 7,000 parishioners, about the Good Doctor and his extraordinary sacrifice, from a Catholic perspective. My heart quite literally felt as though it might pound out of my chest as he recounted the litany of facts that lead us to meet Dr. Andy in the first place. Tears began streaming down my cheeks when he spoke of autism as a “scourge” and told the very real unpopular truth about how incredibly difficult our lives have been since our precious Noah was diagnosed. In great detail, he explained Dr. Andy’s unwavering commitment to our family and so many families who suffer as mine does. Next he addressed his unrivaled humility, genuine smile and peaceful demeanor in the midst of a career destroyed, a country and reputation stolen not just from him, but his beloved family, as well. Personally though, the moment I heard my father-in-law utter “MMR” all I could think about was what would inevitably happen to him. I mean, everyone knows vaccines cause autism…at least everyone who has the sense to read the package inserts…but no one actually talks about it in public! As the mother of a vaccine-injured child who repeatedly presents viable repeatable science to doctors and researchers in the mainstream medical community I am no stranger to condemnation, scorn and ridicule. But, my father-in-law worked four long years at his own expense, to become a servant in this church community. This was his calling, and I believed by taking this risk he was essentially ending his tenure as a deacon. After mass I practically ran to the back of the church, ready to defend him with my list of memorized studies, medical facts, and lists of references, books, conferences and the names and numbers of families who’ve successfully recovered their children from autism as the result of Andy’s findings. But, I was not needed. When I finally reached the narthex, I couldn’t get near him. Lines of grandparents, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, godparents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews of those suffering with autism stood between me and my father-in-law. I watched as emotional parishioners, one after the other after the other, tearfully thanked him for having the courage to tell the truth. They shook his hand, grabbed his shoulders, looked into his eyes and hugged him. They smiled and nodded. One…after another…after…another. “Thank you. Thank you for telling the truth.” Everyone. Knows. Vaccines. Cause. Autism. Now, I am telling you this today, because I know who you work for. Megan is here, to tell you who I work for. I work for my son, Noah Patrick Goes, who works harder than anyone I have ever known. I work for my family and for the children of this country. I work for those who have been harmed by the food and drug industry and those who WILL be harmed by the food and drug industry, because you refuse to follow up on the expert testimony of scientists and doctors like Dr. Arthur Krigsman and Dr. Richard Frye who have the courage to speak up about the chronic auto-inflammatory illness plaguing the most vulnerable consumers in this country, our precious children. Now, YOU KNOW the mothers and fathers of this country know what is happening to our children. You know we are intelligent and thoughtful and now that we are 1 in 28, we are everywhere. We are presenting the truth, studies performed outside the legislatively protected labs of the pharmaceutical industry, to the medical field. We are holding special meetings with our children’s teachers, explaining to them why our children behave as they do and how it happened. We are talking to other parents and community servants. We are contacting our local and state representatives. While we do not have the power to write large checks, as your benefactors do, we are infinitely powerful in influencing the market, by simply sharing the truth about our children wiyh our fellow citizens. Who, as I mentioned before—already know. I encourage you to listen with open ears to this testimony that is now a matter of public record. I encourage you to READ the package inserts on vaccines for yourselves. I encourage you to revisit your job description. You are public servants. Megan, all the educated parents here, and I look forward to the positive changes you will be making and the great strides in autism treatment and care we can look forward to as you take this information back to those with the actual power and thoughtfully implement a meaningful Standard of Care for autism. Because at this juncture, autism affects more children than cancer, diabetes, AIDS and leukemia…combined! Yet, in a country that prides itself on exceptional medical care…there is absolutely NO standard of care for autism. No protocol to follow. No instruction for hospital employees to follow for the most common illness in our country. I am so sorry, given your advanced titles and accomplishments that a simple housewife via proxy, has to be the one to educate you. Autism. Is. Medical. You are now empowered to do something about it. Because knowledge is power. Every autism diagnosis from this day forward, that is not thoroughly investigated from a medical perspective, is your burden to bear. I, along with my legions of educated and thoughtful friends, will be watching. Thank you, Lisa Joyce Goes
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 14:28:54 +0000
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