Imagine an autism-focused health center located in the heart of a small Southern city full of hospitality and charm, where patients, families, and interested medical professionals can receive the individual care and education they so desperately need. Far more than just a doctor’s office, the RIMLAND Center will include not only exam rooms and lab equipment but also a state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen therapy center and a demonstration kitchen where families and doctors can learn first-hand how to implement the diets—gluten-free, casein-free, special carbohydrate—that have the potential to change their children’s lives. A one-stop destination for hard-to-find biomedical information and services, the center will feature a book, vitamin and supplement counter that will help parents save money and, with the proceeds going toward our non-profit organization, raise funds to pay for helpful therapies for needy patients.
Imagine a doctor’s office where, instead of an impersonal and anxiety-producing waiting room, patients and families enter a skylit room with brick walls, bistro tables, comfortable chairs and sofas, and an audio system playing soothing music and nature sounds. While they wait children will be able to enjoy the adjacent playroom, which also serves as an arena assessment area for physical therapists, occupational therapists and others. Plasma TVs will bring to life educational videos, making the most out of the time between assessments and hyperbaric sessions, and the building can also serve as a community center where special needs organizations can meet outside of office hours.
Imagine, above all, a truly welcoming place for families and healthcare professionals. Located in a picturesque and secluded spot right off a main road and within walking distance of a grocery store, Laundromat, and several family restaurants, the 1.8 acre RIMLAND complex would be just a short car ride away from such family-friendly diversions as three movie theatres, a bowling alley, a shopping mall, city parks, and even a children’s museum. The new building is just over 5,300 square feet, and Dr. Mumper envisions utilizing one side as our spacious medical center office space and the other as a unique family center. In addition to the luxurious waiting facilities mentioned above, she would eventually like to have living quarters and even an on-site house in which visiting families and professionals could stay, eliminating the complications and hassle of staying in a hotel—something which can be particularly stressful for the families of autistic patients.
The new mentoring center will be international in scope, bringing the Defeat Autism Now! biomedical approach—autism is treatable, recovery is possible—to clinicians from around the globe. Over 80 doctors have already expressed their interest in participating in such a mentoring experience, and many more will follow after the opening of the center. Every doctor trained can help more children and bring us closer to the goal of restoring these children to their full potential.
