This is Lewis Schofield by Joel Wiebe
Oct 23rd, 2009 | By Collective | Category: Community Board, Life“Let him go unrestrained and he does a good job” says mother Elyse Bruce
Lewis Schofield receives an award for his work with autism and Myasthenia Gravis awareness and fundraising
Date: 2009-10-23
By Joel Wiebe
Lewis Schofield tells it as it is, and tell he does.
He uses his website, videos, artwork, and music to tell his message. A 14-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of autism referred to as AS) and Myasthenia Gravis (a neuromuscular disorder referred to as MG), he educates other children and their parents on the issues surrounding the syndrome and disease and tells them what to expect. He also raises money for autism organizations.
His mother, Elyse Bruce, says Lewis explains why children with these issues do what they do and tells parents what they need to do.
Lewis is also quick to point out he educates people on the fact autism is genetic and not caused by vaccines or anything else.
There’s also the issue of normal. What’s normal for one person might be different than what’s perceived as normal by another. When a child develops autism, Lewis says, it is their normal.
Life itself can be a challenge for Lewis. MG has no cure but symptoms may disappear on their own over time. The affliction can also have fatal consequences.
“I could just be dead,” he notes without hesitation.
Lewis is a busy guy. When he’s not in school, he spends hours on the computer creating content for his website, www.thisislewis.net, or just plain learning. His knowledge of computers has surpassed that of his mother and family friend Tom Taylor. Lewis claims his expertise is largely self-taught.
What Lewis didn’t realize over the last several months, is that his friends and family had secretly conspired to nominate him for Trent University’s 2009 Community Leaders Award for Youth Leadership.
It wasn’t until he heard the message on the answering machine saying he’d won that he learned of it, which came as a big surprise.
“I’m happy with it,” he says.
When asked why he works at raising money and awareness, Lewis’ answer is simple: he does what he believes is right.
“Let him go unrestrained and he does a good job,” his mother pipes in.
