Annual Seaver Celebration 2021

Join us for the virtual Seaver Celebration. This year, the celebration will be a video that premieres online on Tuesday, November 9, 2021.

This annual celebration provides significant funding for the Seaver Autism Center’s mission to enhance the diagnosis of autism and related disorders, discover the biological causes of those disorders, and develop and disseminate breakthrough treatments.

Sponsor or Donate

By purchasing a sponsorship, your support will help the Seaver Autism Center continue to reach new research advances and enhance care.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or would like to donate to support the Seaver Center’s mission, please visit our philanthropy page or contact Sarah Lynch by email or phone 212-241-0349.

About the Video

Get introduced to our honorees, Tony and Mary Lou Cancellieri and meet some of the remarkable families who participate in our research. Go behind the scenes and see what a day in the life is like for families impacted by profound autism and ADNP Syndrome, a leading single gene cause of autism. Check-in with the Director of the Seaver Center, Joseph D. Buxbaum, PhD and the Clinical Director, Alexander Kolevzon, MD, for research updates and an outlook for what lies ahead.

The video premiere will be emailed directly to each supporter on November 9 in addition to being circulated to the Seaver Center’s virtual mailing list, and online on our website and social media channels.

About the Honorees

We are recognizing the Cancellieris for their tremendous support in the autism community and commendable efforts to inspire action to truly impact the lives of individuals with autism. Grandparents to a child with autism, they were motivated to start their own non-profit organization, RVC Blue Speaks. The mission of their organization is to, (a) promote awareness and acceptance of those affected by autism so that their quality of life is enhanced and their potential is fulfilled; (b) raise funds for genetic research, support programs, and community initiatives that directly serve families in need; (c) to change the conversation about autism into action and progress.

In addition to serving as Associates Board Members of the Seaver Autism Center, the Cancellieris play an active role in leadership throughout the local community. Tony is the Co-Chair of the Board for Mount Sinai South Nassau, and Member of the Mount Sinai Health System Board of Trustees, while Mary Lou is a member of the NY Governor’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board.

Together, they have a vision of improving medical care for individuals with autism. Our Center worked closely with Tony to design and build an autism-friendly space at the South Nassau Emergency Department, and to develop training videos for health professionals to work with individuals on the spectrum.

About Seaver Celebration Events

The Seaver Celebration is an annual event that commemorates the Seaver Autism Center’s years of the ground-breaking research and advances. The recognition of progress is a catalyst of motivation to advance the field of autism research beyond what is known today to improve the lives affected individuals and deliver treatments.

The event brings together many of the Center’s champions – families, faculty and supporters – to reflect on all we have and will continue to accomplish together.

Be Part of the Progress

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that autism is prevalent in 1 in 54 children. It is hard to find anyone who has not been impacted by the disorder – themselves, or through family and friends. 

Donations are crucial to advance autism research and treatments. Please consider helping us celebrate the progress that we have made by making a gift that builds off this success and provides momentum to develop and deliver treatments for individuals with autism and related disorders.