Rachel’s simple wish: Heal my brother’s autism

The essay was entitled: “I wish, I wish, I wish.” In it, nine-year-old schoolgirl Rachel Cahill wrote of a simple request — that her brother, who had been diagnosed with autism, would be cured.

“Since my little brother Matthew was two, I have always had the same wish. When Matthew was two, he was diagnosed with autism. Autism has no cure. Some children with autism can talk, understand and communicate, but Matthew can’t.

“When you have autism, your brain is different. Matthew would hear things more loudly than us, he feels things more differently and sees things we don’t.” She continues: “So ever since Matthew was diagnosed with autism, my wish was for Matthew’s autism to be healed.”