An Arizona native with an extensive background in neurodevelopmental disorders, Sarah Wyckoff has always had a desire to support others and contribute to clinical research.
Sarah initially became acquainted with SARRC in 2016 during her tenure in the Neuroscience Research Division at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The department had a prominent focus on autism research with other research facilities, like SARRC. Five years ago, SARRC reentered her life when her son, Michael Patrick, or affectionately known as “Lucky,” began experiencing developmental delays.
“When I had my son, we noticed significant delays in Lucky’s development and some highly restrictive behaviors around nine months old,” Sarah explained. “When we were trying to determine where to begin intervention, SARRC was the first organization that came to mind.”
Trusting her instincts, she sought and received an autism diagnosis for Lucky at two years old. The family then turned to SARRC’s JumpStart program, which is designed to assist families like the Wyckoff-Tubbs who are new to autism, providing vital information, support, and personalized coaching sessions.).
“JumpStart provided the first immediate and actionable intervention for Lucky, essentially giving us a roadmap to follow,” Sarah recalled. “Our BCBA offered invaluable support to Lucky and guided us through our autism journey.”
Sarah’s firsthand experience with the critical role of early intervention for children with autism motivated her to become more involved with SARRC. In April 2023, during SARRC’s Annual Community Breakfast, Sarah decided to join the Multiyear Visionary Partner (MVP) giving program. She pledged a gift of five years or more, which is invested in SARRC’s programs, services, and research initiatives.
For Sarah, the decision to become an MVP was an easy one.
“When people ask me, ‘Where should I go? What should I do?’ I always refer them to SARRC,” Sarah said. “SARRC is my ‘go-to,’ and I felt like I needed to practice what I preach. I can see where my support is going and how it’s benefiting the community, so why wouldn’t I invest in that?”
In her experience researching neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Sarah knows that every step of a disorder presents new challenges.
“I’ve seen parallels between ADHD and the perception of autism,” Sarah said. “Similar to autism, most of the support lies early on in a child’s development, which brings me to another reason why I support SARRC – services across the lifespan. I’m a part of a few mother support groups, and I’ve met more than a few in those groups that have moved to Arizona for the services SARRC provides.”
Outside of her roles as a research scientist and sales director, Sarah loves spending time with her son Lucky.
Are you interested in making a difference by becoming a SARRC Multiyear Visionary Partner? Learn more here.
