'Titanic' Star Kate Winslet Inspires Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie, Others To Raise Autism Awareness

"Titanic" fans have more to look forward to than just watching steamy scenes of Jack and Rose in 3D, because Kate Winslet is releasing something even hotter before April 5.

The British star released “The Golden Hat: Taking Back Autism” Tuesday, a book that features some of Hollywood’s most gorgeous stars, framing their faces in a favorite fedora picked by Winslet, USA Today reports.

The project of self-portraits, which includes the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie (among others), will benefit the Golden Hat Foundation, an organization Winslet co-founded to improve the lives of people with nonverbal autism.

Winslet was inspired to start the organization after she was asked to narrate Margret Ericsdottir's 2009 documentary, "A Mother's Courage,” about a mom of three who has a severely autistic son, Keli. But despite 10-year-old Keli’s struggles, Ericsdottir discovered that her son could pick out sentences from a letter board, the New York Daily News reports.

“It was a total breakthrough," Ericsdottir told the news source. "He had never communicated before. He had been diagnosed as having the mind of a 2-year-old.”

Winslet, who narrated the film for free, said she was deeply impacted by the story and the way it made her reevaluate her role as a mother.

“After watching the film "A Mother’s Courage" with my daughter one day, she turned to me and asked, ‘What if I wasn’t able to talk to you mummy?’,” Winslet told Look To The Stars. “As I thought about what that meant, for a mother not to be able to talk with her own child, I realized that I had to lend my voice to raise awareness of this rapidly increasing disorder.”

To purchase a copy of the book, whose proceeds will benefit the Golden Hat Foundation, click here.

To get involved with the Golden Hat Foundation, click here.

Comments

[Yellowriver]

06:36 AM on 04/16/2012

When anyone speaks out about Autism and vaccine injury they get slated. We have the same in the UK a total media blackout on any of our children's vaccine injury. So I have made a site to collect parents voices who want to be heard. www.followingvaccinations.com I have collected over 1,200 voices and rising all the time. Thank you Kate for helping us in any way you can to bring awareness to this very sad situation for generation of children and young adults.

[GreenYourLife]

04:09 AM on 04/16/2012

Then there are those warnings of the icebergs ahead. The CDC, in its illegally held secret meeting in June of 2000 with all the major vaccine manufactures, revealed and discussed the results of their evaluation of the impact of mercury in the Thimerosal preservative used in vaccine and how it increased neurobehavioral disorders 11 fold. Too bad the Captain of the Titanic didn’t have the option that the CDC took next. They had the epidemiologist dilute his data 5 fold until all statistical significance was lost. http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/06/end-of-an-era.html

[calamityjohn]

09:44 AM on 04/02/2012

wonderful work .. thank you!

[CoffeeRocks]

08:18 PM on 03/28/2012

Celebrity power! Gotta love it! I have four brothers who were on the spectrum of autism, one is non-verbal. And one of my own sons struggled with language, although he is now pretty much the opposite of non-verbal. I think his favorite past time is asking seemingly unrelated questions to unsuspecting strangers. My brother, however, is thirty years old and tries so hard to get his words out. I was just chatting with my friend today (because I can) about how unfortunate it is when you can't know what someone you love is trying to say. But my brothers are also definitely my hero's, because they keep on trying! It's amazing! My mom wrote all about it in her book (Miracles are Made: A Real Life Guide to Autism by Lynette Louise) which offers both awareness AND answers. Three of my four brothers are off the spectrum and are independent, tax paying, crying over women, kindhearted men. My mom now travels the globe as a therapist, speaker and performer. It's beautiful when celebrities raise their voices and hearts for a cause, and nicer still if now families will be able to hear my moms--and others'-- life changing answers!

[bibisaucedo]

07:38 PM on 03/28/2012

why are vaccines the only thing they look at?.. its stupid to think there is one reason why these kids are born the way they are.. My son was born this way and was different since birth! I knew it and I am at peace with it. I don't blame anyone or anything. I help him and I try to be the best mother possible! so shut up about one specific reason!! there are many factors to Autism and they all are different!!..

[onionboy]

11:43 AM on 07/12/2012

Well said.

[Julian Pursell]

08:14 PM on 03/27/2012

I've heard cannabis can help non-verbals to start speaking. Really quite remarkable by most accounts. I guess you'll have to google it.

Best of luck to all X

[Susan Zwerman]

06:24 PM on 03/27/2012

Hi Kate,

So excited to hear what you are doing. I saw you on the news today and was very inspired.
We are also helping kids with Autism. Check out our website at: www.exceptionalmindsstudio.org. Here the students can learn a trade in computer animation that will help them earn a living in the fields of multi-media and post production in the film industry. I love what you are trying to do.

Best

Susan