Lurie Center Video Interview with Dr. Christopher McDougle

This video was being made for an upcoming Lurie Leadership Counsel meeting. The questions were impromptu. Dr. McDougle scribbled them on scraps of paper minutes before we arrived for the interview. We hadn't planned on any specific format beforehand.

Meaghan's response to Dr. McDougle when he queried her about how she would describe her feelings about autism. Autism is a kind of sick joke because those of us who have it are highly intelligent and yet we are denied the power to express that intelligence. Dr. McDougle asked Meaghan if she ever dreamed of not having autism. Yes. I dream that I can tell everyone exactly what I think. McDougle then probed how she felt knowing that she could not do this. It has made me feel awful sub human. I have wanted to talk so badly to explain that I have feelings too. Dr. McDougle asked if she had anything to say to those who didn't believe in her abilities You need to learn to trust. If you let us we will amaze you. Dr. McDougle asked how my sitting next to Meg (on her left) helped her She keeps me calm and grounded. He ended the interview by asking her if she had any wishes for the future and, if so, what they were Yes. To help others with autism learn to communicate through typing. To go to college. Just to have people believe in me.