Real estate companies give support to Autism Awareness Month

Over 100 buildings were lit up across Poland on the first two days of April - to raise awareness of autism and show solidarity with the individuals and families affected by the condition.

Landlords, advisors, investment funds and property managers all gave their support to the Light It Up Blue [Na Niebiesko dla Autyzmu] initiative organised by the Synapsis Foundation. Light It Up Blue was held between 1st and 2nd April 2016 thanks to a joint initiative by eleven international real estate companies: CBRE, Colliers International, Cushman & Wakefield, Echo Investment, NAI Estate Fellows, Heitman, JLL, Knight Frank, Kulczyk Silverstein Properties, Reino Partners and Savills). Eurobuild CEE acted as the media patron for the event.

One of the events was a fun run held in Warsaw on Saturday, April 2nd, along a route that passed the illuminated buildings. The runners were made up of the parents and loved ones of children with autism, the employees of the Synapsis Foundation and volunteers.

"The runners were bowled over by the scope and variety of the illuminations. They were quite impressive! Sometimes it was hard to hide our emotions," says Łukasz Kościuczuk of the Synapsis Foundation.

Autism is a pervasive children's development disorder, which impacts their social functioning. The statistics for the condition are alarming. In the last 25 years, the number of diagnosed cases has increased 25-fold. The first symptoms of autism can be picked up in early life, often in babies who are a few months old. However, the symptoms are usually only evident before the child reaches three years of age. While autism can be identified in small children, it is often only diagnosed in adolescence or adulthood. Untreated, it can lead to serious problems with social functioning in the future life.