Step Up: Harry Slatkin, Autism Advocate and Philanthropist

In 1999, well-known fragrance expert Harry Slatkin and his wife Laura joyfully welcomed twins Ali and David to their family. But a little over a year later they heard the kind of news parents dread: 18-month-old David was diagnosed with autism.

An unfamiliar medical diagnosis is terrifying. When it is your 18-month-old child, and the diagnosis is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the terror would paralyze most people.

Determined to help their son, the Slatkins vigorously pursued knowledge about autism and treatment of the condition. Really vigorously — they started a school, a research facility and an outreach program.

They learned that autism is appearing at epidemic levels, with one out of every 150 children being diagnosed and one out of 94 boys on the autism spectrum. But the most hopeful statistic they learned is that 50 percent of these children can recover to live normal, productive lives if they receive early and attentive treatment. On the negative side, that treatment is expensive, hard to find and comes with a multi-year waiting list.

This seemed wrong to the Slatkins, so they decided to do something about it. In the process, they helped hundreds — and over time, perhaps hundreds of thousands — of children and their families.

Research, treatment and hope

"We will find a cure for autism," Harry says. So that's what the Slatkins set out to do.

Harry and Laura reached out to their extensive network — including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Joel I. Klein, New York City schools chancellor. With their help, the Slatkins co-founded the New York Center for Autism (NYCA) in 2003.

A not-for-profit organization, the NYCA supports the development of intensive, science-based educational programs for children with ASD. They also support community resources and education for teachers and related service roles.

Additional funding and support goes to research initiatives that study the neurological source and treatment of autism.

A public school education

NYCA launched a charter school in 2005, as part of the New York City public school system. It was important to the Slatkins that this attentive and adaptive classroom experience be available to all of the students of New York City, not just the ones who could afford private school.

In addition to providing a 1:1 student-teacher ratio to 28 children, the charter school at PS 50 is a model program for the public school system, with the ultimate goal of being able to expand this educational offering into other schools.

The charter school is also a training ground for educators and researchers to get first-hand experience working with children with autism, as well as exchanging best practices and strategies with colleagues. And to address the need of trained special education teachers in the public school system, the NYCA provided a grant and ongoing support to open the Hunter College Autism Center at the Hunter School of Education.

Public awareness, public service

Autism also touched the lives of the Slatkin's friends, former NBC Chairman Bob Wright and his wife, Suzanne. When their grandchild was diagnosed with autism, the Wrights founded Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization that supports research and awareness of the condition. The Slatkins are on the boards of both Autism Speaks and the New England Center for Children, a private nonprofit educational center for children with autism and related disabilities.

Light a candle — support autism research

Harry Slatikin is president of home design for Limited Brands, and oversees product development for all of the company's home collections at Bath & Body Works. He's collaborated with Elton John, Martha Stewart and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and is world-famous for his distinctive candles.

In September he launched the Slatkin & Co. Zippo Lighter for Autism. Exclusively available at Bath & Body Works stores, 100 percent of the proceeds for the $10.00 lighter go to Autism Speaks. In the first three months, sales of the lighter raised $100,000! That total continues to grow, as more people pick up the blue lighter — the color for Autism Speaks — to use with Slatkin's aromatic and romantic candles.

Step up

In Harry's words, "Every time you use it to light a candle, you send some light to autism."

Add your light to the growing blaze of hope by stopping by your local Bath & Body works store to pick up a blue lighter, or by donating to NYCA or to Autism Speaks.