‘Receiving a diagnosis of autism has changed my life for the better’, says Mayo woman

IT was a case of ‘better late than never’ when Westport native Lauren Burns (22) received an autism diagnosis two years ago.
“I struggled a lot in national school and even more when I got to second level. I have always found it hard to match an emotion with what I was feeling. I also found it hard to understand why I was struggling so much with things that others found easy,” says Lauren.
It was, in fact, through her training to become a special needs assistant later on that she was able to identify many autistic traits she had herself. She applied for a private assessment, and a diagnosis soon followed.
However, rather than being a limiting factor, her diagnosis gave her a new lease of life.
“When I got my diagnosis, I felt relieved and understood. I felt relieved because I finally had a reason as to why I was struggling so much. I could finally start to understand myself, and how my brain works. I stopped putting so much pressure on myself to be like others.”
Lauren is not alone. According to AsIAM, Ireland’s autism charity, 3.3 percent of the Irish population is autistic. Some are non-verbal. More can speak, but struggle to read social queues and can be overstimulated by bright lights and noisy environments. That can make navigating today’s world very difficult for autistic people and their families.

Initiative
The Autism Friendly Town initiative is a set of criteria from AsIAM aimed at making communities more welcoming to people with autism. There are currently five Autism Friendly Town groups in Mayo; Westport, Castlebar, Balla, Ballina, and most recently in Belmullet.
Burns’ story resonates with members of the local community she meets and works with as a member of the Westport Autism Friendly Town committee, the volunteer group working to make Westport a more inclusive town for residents and visitors alike.
Given autism’s association with childhood diagnoses, Lauren’s own journey is viewed by many as not only inspiring, but an indication of how significant and indeed positive an autism diagnosis, even later in life, can be.
“Receiving a diagnosis of autism has changed my life for the better,” she says. “I know first-hand that for some people it can be a confusing time. It can also be a lonely experience when you don’t know anyone else going through a similar process of being diagnosed as an adult, or later in life.”
For Lauren, community is key to dealing with such unknowns. She references the importance of peer support in this regard and the opportunities it can provide for sharing experiences, interests, and acknowledging everyone’s own story.
Working with Westport Autism Friendly Town is another such support for her, but it is also a platform from which she can help others. “I joined the group because I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to help those who struggled like I did. I want to advocate for people who may not have the voice that I do. I want Westport to be a safe place for everyone, including those who have autism. I want to be a part of that change.”
Tomorrow evening (Friday), Lauren will share the stage of Westport Town Hall Theatre with Adam Harris, Founder of AsIAM, to speak at the official launch of Westport Autism Friendly Town. She hopes the event, which is open to the public, will help broaden the understanding of autism, and highlight the benefits of a more inclusive Westport.

Inclusion
THE push to make Westport more autism-friendly began in earnest in April 2024 with a meeting attended by 25 people. This led to the formation of Westport Autism Friendly Town chaired by Maura Kiely.
In the summer, the group held a public consultation that received over 400 submissions.
The launch of its upcoming town plan is the culmination of ten months of voluntary-led work by the group.
“This launch is really important because in many ways it marks the coming together of partners and fabrics of the community that hadn’t come together before,” Maura told The Mayo News. “The feedback that we’re hearing from everyone is that everybody wants to make Westport more accommodating and welcoming but don’t necessarily know how to do it.”
The work to make Westport more inclusive did not begin yesterday and does not begin on Friday next at its launch.
It can already be seen in the Westport GAA’s GAA for All initiative, which runs fun sessions for children with special needs. Westport United offer something very similar through the FAI’s Football For All programme.
Day-to-day life away from an organised, sporting setting can be more challenging. Given their sensitivity to noise and light, autistic people often find trips to the shops quite difficult.
For that reason, Kavanagh’s Supervalu in Westport turns down the music in their shop every Tuesday evening to create a sensory-friendly shopping experience for their customers.
Across town, the W Cinema hosts a monthly ‘sensory cinema’. These screenings have lower volume levels, no interruptions and lower ticket prices for caregivers. Movement around the cinema is also actively encouraged.
Simple steps like these have turned the cinema from a no-go area for autistic people into a fun enjoyable experience that so many other people take for granted
“People are already doing a lot, but they were doing it not necessarily in coordination with the community so we are all coming together now to have everybody on the same page, which I think is really, really exciting,” explains Maura.

Launch
BEYOND its official launch tomorrow night, Westport Autism Friendly Town is developing new projects, including the development of new programmes that can help teenagers and adults with autism thrive in the town.
Achieving Autism Friendly Town status will take three years and will involve 30 local ‘champions’; ten businesses, ten voluntary groups and ten public services.
It’s hoped that creating a more autism-friendly working environment will improve employment prospects for autistic people, who are disproportionately unemployed and underemployed.
“I think that’s going to be meaningful,” says Maura. “Because a lot of parents, particularly of young teenagers and adults, feel that once they are out of the school system it’s ‘what’s next?’”
Becoming an Autism Friendly Town will require ambition, collaboration, and above all, a united front from the people of Westport.
“It’s easy for all of us to say that every town should be inclusive, but we also need people to come together and take those steps to make it happen,” says Lauren Burns. “I’m excited to be a local role model for the younger generation in Westport, and I look forward to playing my part in making Westport an accredited autism-friendly town.”

•    Lauren Burns will speak at Westport Autism Friendly Town’s official launch this Friday, February 28, which starts at 6.45pm at Westport Town Hall Theatre and is open to the public. For more information, follow @westportautismfriendlytown on Instagram and Facebook, or call / text Carol Staunton on 086 3443604. AsIAm provides resources and guidance on autism, all of which can be accessed via www.asiam.ie.