Temecula Mom Organizes Walk to Fight Autism

Jennifer Palmer-San Nicolas knows how hard it is to raise a child with autism. Her 3-year-old son, Matthew San Nicolas, was recently diagnosed with the condition.

So, Palmer-San Nicolas, a 33-year-old Temecula resident, decided to do something to help other parents. She became the co-chair of the Team Mentoring Committee for "San Diego Walk Now for Autism Speaks," which will hold an event next month.

Participants will walk on September 10 at Liberty Station of Point Loma Ingram Plaza at 2640 Historic Decatur Rd. for the seventh-annual event.

Palmer-San Nicolas' team raised $2,600 for families dealing with autism during the last two years, said Jess Block, a spokesperson for the event.

"(The event) generates vital funds for autism research and raises awareness about the increasing prevalence of autism, the fastest-growing serious developmental disorder, and the need for increased research funding to combat this complex disorder," Block wrote in an email.

Autism Speaks is the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, Block said.