July 2, 2014 – Maria O’Neil

with Beth Lambert

Recovering a child from a severe chronic illness is neither a myth nor a rare occurrence. Every day in this country children are regaining their health and wellness thanks to the intense love and commitment of their parents and caregivers, often in partnership with courageous, dedicated, and cutting edge clinicians.

The journey to recovery is challenging, expensive, and emotional. Now imagine guiding your child to recovery while managing the stress of having a newborn while your husband deploys to Afghanistan.

Military families have nearly double the rate of autism as the general population, and the stresses in these families are uniquely challenging. And yet, there is hope for families in the military.

Meet Maria O’Neil, wife to a US Marine, and mother of Connor, 5, who is recovered from autism. Maria used to work in health care but discovered on her journey with Connor that true health care really begins at home. She is a second generation member of the Thinking Moms Revolution and a co-author of the book Evolution of a Revolution: From Hope to Healing. Since her marriage in 2006, Maria has traveled from North Carolina to Okinawa, Japan where her then 18 month son received an autism diagnosis. She now advocates for improved access to effective treatments for autism and strives to keep autism at bay in her youngest son, Cash.

Beth Lambert is the Founder and Executive Director of Epidemic Answers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the epidemic of chronic illness affecting our youth, and helping parents find healing solutions. She is a published author and the Executive Producer of The Documenting Hope Project. She holds degrees from Williams College and Fairfield University. Beth is the mother of three young children, and is passionate about preventing chronic illnesses in children.

Photo credit: Parent Network of Western New York