Free MedicAlert® Sponsored Memberships Offered to LA-area Autism Groups
24-hour service helps reunite Members with family or caregivers
TURLOCK, California (June 14, 2002) -- MedicAlert Foundation, a nonprofit membership organization and the world's leading emergency medical information service, announced today it is offering free first-year Sponsored Memberships to people served by numerous autism groups in the Los Angeles area, now through July 31.
The initiative is aimed at protecting people with autism and related disorders, especially when they wander or become lost. MedicAlert helps identify Members by instantly relaying identification and medical information to law enforcement personnel and other emergency responders, and then calling Member-designated emergency contacts, so the Member is quickly reunited with family or caregivers.
One Southland resident who can attest that the MedicAlert Service makes a difference is Robyn Olson, mother of MedicAlert Member Ryan Olson, who is autistic and non-verbal. Ms. Olson has been reunited with her son on several occasions when he has fled their El Segundo home. "With MedicAlert, we know we're going to be contacted, usually within minutes. That's a huge comfort to me," she said.
Detective Joe Aiello of the Manhattan Beach Police Department, who found Ryan on one occasion when he fled, also recognizes the value of MedicAlert: "Police know MedicAlert can help them quickly reunite lost children with their parents, saving time and easing fears," said Aiello.
Although offered primarily to groups such as the southern California chapters of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) and the Autism Society of California, these MedicAlert Sponsored Memberships are available for a limited time to anyone in the area who has autism or a related disorder.
"Generous donations from Members made it possible for us to allocate 1,000 Sponsored Memberships for southern California residents with autism this year," said MedicAlert President and Chief Executive Officer Tanya J. Glazebrook. "It's an excellent opportunity for groups to extend MedicAlert protection to the autistic individuals they serve, saving the Member the first-year $35 initial membership fee." Members may renew their MedicAlert Membership each year thereafter for only $20.
Anyone who has autism or knows someone who does, and would like to secure the protection of a free MedicAlert Sponsored Membership, should contact his or her local autism-related organization for further details.
MedicAlert Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization, serves 2.4 million Members nationwide and another 1.3 million globally. MedicAlert Foundation's mission for more than 45 years has been to protect and save lives by providing identification and information in a medical emergency. For general information, call 800-432-5378 or visit their web site at http://www.medicalert.org/ .