‘Autism Angel’ Rewarded by Helping with Study
![]() Sarah Holland has her blood pressure checked by UAMS’ Shannon Wilson, R.N., as part of Holland’s routine pregnancy visit and as a participant in a UAMS-led autism study. |
Oct. 29, 2012 | Autism became personal for Sarah Holland when her cousin recently adopted a child with the disorder. Holland thought of the little boy when she was offered the chance to participate in an autism study.
Holland, along with other pregnant women visiting the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) OB/GYN Clinic in west Little Rock, was approached about the study by Ashley Sides, a research coordinator for the UAMS Translational Research Institute.
The national study, led by UAMS’ Jill James, Ph.D., requires the recruitment of healthy pregnant women and women at high risk of having a child with autism. The research is part of a national effort to sort out the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to autism.
As someone in good health and at low risk of having a child with autism, Holland, 25, was asked to serve as a “control” in the study, meaning she and others like her would provide researchers the reference for “normal” pregnancies.
After she and her husband read the consent information and discussed it, Holland agreed to join.
“There weren’t any risks posed to us,” she said. “Ashley talked to us about it, and it’s really convenient because their work is done in four visits when I have to come for my regular exams. The main thing she pointed out is that it requires a few extra needle sticks.”
As a labor and delivery nurse for UAMS, Holland said she has worked on clinical trials, but until the autism study, she had never volunteered to participate in a trial. Holland receives a $30 gift card for each visit, but that isn’t why she decided to do it.
“I’ve learned a lot about autism lately, and this is a big study, so it’s very rewarding to be a part of it,” she said. “I am happy to do whatever I can because this is an opportunity to help identify the causes of autism.”
James, who is director of the Autism Metabolic Genomics Laboratory at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute, said Holland and the other control participants like her represent the “backbone of our research.”
“We call volunteers like Sarah our autism angels because there is no personal gain for their service other than the satisfaction that they are helping families less fortunate than their own,” James said.
The Translational Research Institute is working to increase UAMS’ pool of potential research participants through two free programs:
- Anyone can sign up to receive text messages about new clinical studies at UAMS by texting UAMSresearch to 772937. Subscribers will receive a text message whenever a new study is enrolling participants. The message includes a brief description of the study and a contact number for those interested in learning more or becoming a participant. For studies that involve children at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the text service is available by texting the word research to 772937.
- Anyone may also join a secure national registry of research volunteers at ResearchMatch.org. This program helps connect willing volunteers with researchers who are searching for appropriate participants – healthy and with medical needs – for their research studies. Those who join are under no obligation to participate in any research study.
The Translational Research Institute is funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), with significant support from UAMS. As one of 60 CTSAs nationally, its purpose is to help UAMS researchers speed knowledge and discoveries toward improved health and health care for Arkansas and the nation.