An eight-year-old girl who wants to change the way people view autism wrote a heartwarming letter to the “autism fairy” and shared it on Facebook.
Cadence’s mother often shares her writing on her blog ‘I Am Cadence’, in the hope of challenging the stigma associated with autism.
Short pieces Cadence from Queensland, Australia, has written include: ‘Autism Is Why I Am Different’, ‘Autism Doesn’t Mean I’m Bad’ and ‘Cadence’s Ingredients’.
In one of her latest pieces, she wrote a letter asking after the “autism fairy”.
“Dear Fairies, I want to know please, is there an autism fairy?” she wrote.
Cadence’s note continued: “What is her job in fairyland? Can she visit me? I am autism too.
“I will be very gentle and I promise I’m a kind girl and won’t put her in a jar. She can bring a friend if she’s a little bit scared.
“It’s ok if she doesn’t talk, too. We can play spinning together.”
Cadence ended the letter: “Some people say fairies are not real, but I know you are real.”
Cadence’s mother Angela then shared a response she sent her daughter from ‘Queen Fairy’.
In the letters, she wrote that there was “no autism fairy”, but many different fairies who have a range of different characteristics, similar to Cadence.
The letters reiterated the message Cadence’s Facebook page and blog try to address, which is that every child is unique and has their own story and cannot be defined by autism alone.
In July 2016, Cadence questioned why people called autism a “label”.
She wrote: “I don’t think that’s right. My label is Cadence. One of my ingredients is autism.”
Cadence then drew a picture of tin she labelled “tomatoes” and listed its ingredients. She then drew a self portrait, labelling herself as “Cadence”, and listed her ingredients.
To follow Cadence’s Facebook page, visit I Am Cadence or read her blog here.