Autism. Science. Hope.

On this episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, host Candace Dellacona sits down with Dr. Theresa Lyons—a Yale-educated scientist and founder of Navigating AWEtism—to talk candidly about raising a child with autism while navigating the complex medical system. From decoding the autism diagnosis process to building the right healthcare team, Dr. Lyons shares practical guidance, research-backed insights, and a message of real hope for families doing it all. A must-listen for parents balancing special-needs parenting and elder care.

00:00 Introduction to the Sandwich Generation Survival Guide
00:45 Meet Dr. Theresa Lyons: A Yale-Trained Scientist and Autism Advocate
01:40 Dr. Lyons' Personal Journey with Autism
02:41 Navigating the Emotional and Scientific Challenges of Autism
06:43 Building the Right Healthcare Team
09:29 Conventional vs. Functional Medicine
14:25 Scientific Insights and Hopeful Research
23:05 Balancing Care for Children with Autism and Aging Parents
25:01 The Importance of Self-Care and Delegation
28:12 Celebrating Small Victories and Building Support Systems
29:39 Conclusion and Resources

For more information on Navigating AWEtism, visit their website at https://awetism.net/
Subscribe to Navigating AWEtism’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingawetism
Follow Navigating AWEtism on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navigating_awetism/

Follow Dr. Lyons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamlyonsphd/
Purchase The Lyons Report 2020: https://www.amazon.com/Lyons-Report-2020-Functional-Medicine/dp/1734358203

Creators and Guests

Host

Candace Dellacona

Principal, Offit Kurman

Producer

Eric Kovac

Creative Team Manager, Offit Kurman

What is The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide?

Welcome to The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, where we explore the challenges and strategies of navigating life caught between work demands and supporting our loved ones while maintaining our own well-being. Join us in this dynamic podcast series as we uncover the complexities individuals face balancing multiple roles in the modern world. Our host, Candace Dellacona, shares personal experiences and professional insights to guide listeners through this complex journey.

Candace Dellacona: Welcome to the
Sandwich Generation Survival Guide.

I am your host, Candace Dellacona.

Our goal, with this podcast is to
provide resources to those of us in

the middle trying to advocate for
our aging loved ones and supporting

the next generation, launching our
children or our nieces or our nephews,

or those who we love into life.

And many of us out there are advocating
for our children and our younger loved

ones with different and or special needs.

And to answer that segment
of our listeners, I am so

honored today to have Dr.

Theresa Lyons.

Dr.

Lyons is a Yale trained scientist.

She's a medical strategist.

She is most importantly the
parent of an amazing daughter

who also happens to be autistic.

Dr.

Lyons is also the founder of an
organization called Navigating AWEtism,

where she provides insight and coaching
and quarterbacking to the parents

in this segment of the population.

So Dr.

Lyons welcome.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Thank you.

I'm very excited to be here.

Candace Dellacona: It's quite an
introduction for, quite a person.

I just wanna say thank you
so much for being here.

As I mentioned, our goal is to provide
resources, so you are here for that.

We have never been lucky enough to
have someone speak to the segment

of the population, and so we're
really happy to have you here.

I know that so many of our listeners
are looking for resources, and

that is really what you are.

So why don't we start at the beginning.

Dr.

Lyons, can you tell us a little bit about
your background and how you got here?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Sure.

So this was not planned at all
whatsoever for me to be where I am

right now, but that really is life.

I have a PhD in computational
chemistry from Yale University.

My research then was focused on drug
discovery, and so after my PhD I

worked in big pharma and worked on
optimizing drugs and then switched over

to the business side and created an
understanding of how doctors practice

medicine and how pharmaceutical companies
increase their revenue in the sense

of doctors practicing in medicine.

So I was a strategist.

I worked in many different
therapeutic areas.

It was definitely high
paced and high pressure.

And then my daughter was
diagnosed with autism.

And I said, all right,
what's standard of care?

Gimme the options.

And there really was none.

And that was really unacceptable.

And that's what started me on this path.

Candace Dellacona: And so as a scientist,
you approach probably a diagnosis like

this different than the average person.

Also someone who's had exposure to big
pharma and looking for pharmaceuticals

as the solution to many of the things
that sort of ail us as a society.

So taking your perspective, maybe as
a parent, I would imagine that most

parents, when they learn of their child's
diagnosis, they go through a plethora of

emotions, probably shock and confusion.

For those of us who are not familiar
with autism and the broad spectrum that

it presents in terms of possibilities
and what their child's future

must look like and probably grief.

So can you speak to how you dealt with
it at first as a mom to your daughter,

and then what sort of kicked you into
gear, taking on that scientific approach

to find the protocols and the treatments
that you didn't see as being available?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Sure.

So I had two basically
almost personas back then.

Candace Dellacona: Right, right.

I can see that.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Dr.

Lyons, and then I had mom, right?

So it was, it was me switching
back and forth between those roles.

And as I assembled a healthcare team
for my daughter, I was really in Dr.

Lyons mode.

So when I would go and meet the doctors,
when I would even make appointments

and start to get to know the office
staff, it was all in the role of Dr.

Lyons.

So that emotional side of me was put
to the side, because once I started

getting emotional, I couldn't focus,
I couldn't come up with a good plan.

You know, it's a totally
different part of my brain.

So there really was those two personas.

But I definitely felt those emotions.

So, after my daughter was diagnosed,
it was in a large hospital.

We get into the parking lot and you
know, I get her strapped into her

car seat and of I just start crying.

Even though it wasn't a surprise, but
it's still, it's, it was a change in

the future of what I ever thought.

When I was pregnant, this
was not what I imagined.

I had all these, fairytale kind of
versions of what motherhood was, and

this was just about entirely opposite
to everything I was expecting.

Candace Dellacona: And how old was
your daughter when she was diagnosed?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

She was three and a half.

And I will say that is on the later side.

If parents are listening to this and
they're thinking you can get a diagnosis

later and still have a favorable outcome.

So the average age of a diagnosis is
around five, but a reasonable and accurate

diagnosis can be made at 18 months.

Candace Dellacona: Oh wow.

So significantly.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

yeah.

Yes, yes, yes.

So, back when my daughter was
diagnosed, I worked with the team

that we were assembling really to
make sure we eliminated any other

possibility because an autism
diagnosis is based on observation.

So, you have an observation and
an evaluation from speech therapy

and occupational therapy and
physical therapy and some type

of psychology or learning aspect.

And then all of those reports get
sent to a developmental pediatrician

or pediatric neurologist, and
they look at those observations.

They see your child, the appointment
might be 30 minutes or 45 minutes,

and they see your child and after 20
minutes or so, they make a diagnosis.

Short observations and we really spent
time making sure it wasn't anything else.

And it wasn't.

Candace Dellacona: And so ruling out
the possibilities was part of your

exercise and I assume part of others
exercise when coming to this diagnosis.

Here you are as a scientist and like you
say, wearing these two hats as a mom and

as somebody who is experienced with data.

And you receive this diagnosis and
when you get over the sort of blow of

thinking about what her life may have
in store, which is perhaps different

than what you first thought, what
was your next first step in finding

and assembling the right team?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Okay.

So the emotional aspect I don't think has
ever stopped and I definitely oscillate.

Candace Dellacona: Fair.

Fair.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yeah.

I just put it on pause
and I switch into Dr.

Lyons mode.

And then certainly go back.

So when I would have
doctor's appointments, I

would go in with an agenda.

And these are the talking points that
I have, and this is the research either

that I've done or that I wanna discuss.

And these are the tests I wanna either
go over for their expertise or these

are the tests that I want ordered.

And so it would all be summarized
in a one pager I'd sent to

the doctor the day before.

And so they, they definitely came
into the appointment prepared.

I don't like to surprise people with
my level of organization or questions.

And I, I really invite that
dialogue and that partnership.

So that was something that really had
to be cultivated and I learned that from

my medical strategist days of, okay,
you have a key opinion leader, right?

So we want the best doctors and we
really wanna tap into that knowledge.

So you wanna go in there prepared.

Otherwise, the worst thing that
happens is you leave your doctor's

appointments and then you're like, ah.

I forgot to ask.

And that's just, and the way it was
back then was, we weren't sleeping,

so it really took me a lot of effort
to be organized just because when

someone doesn't sleep, cognition
starts to go a little bit for sure.

Candace Dellacona: And as a
parent too, like you said, the

emotional piece never turns off

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

oh no.

Candace Dellacona: I think it's so
important to keep in mind that you're not

going about this in a clinical fashion as
much as you would like to, as a clinician

as someone who holds her PhD in chemistry.

Having your daughter's diagnosis
be the subject of the appointment,

obviously makes you incredibly vested.

And so it's really easy to
lose sight of those questions.

I think that's fantastic advice.

Telling a parent to set the agenda and
send that information in advance so that

the physician and the care providers
have some time to understand what

your question will be so that they're
prepared with answers and they make the

appointment as useful for everyone as
possible, so in terms of, assembling

the right team, can you kind of give
us the inside scoop on when a family

comes to you having just received this
diagnosis, what is the protocol that

you help families set up when taking
the next step after a diagnosis?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Sure.

So you wanna use both sides of medicine.

So there's conventional medicine
and then there's functional

or integrative medicine.

And so conventional medicine is, let's
just use the example of constipation.

'cause constipation occurs often in
autism, and it is not just autism.

So some doctors and people just think,
oh, if you have autism, then more than

likely you're gonna have some GI issues.

There's no reason for a person with
autism to go through life with GI issues.

So I'm gonna use a basic
example of constipation.

So conventional medicine, you might go
to a general pediatrician or maybe a GI

specialist and maybe their first piece
of advice would be, all right, let's

give the child some MiraLax, right?

Get things moving.

So that's a short-term solution.

But if you stop the MiraLax, are you
gonna be exactly where you were before?

More than likely, yeah.

So conventional medicine has
more of a short-term focus

of let's resolve the problem.

Very important.

If someone's constipated, that can
create issues in learning and sleep

and being comfortable and eating,
so many things that are important.

So it is good to resolve that.

But then functional medicine, a
different aspect of medicine is

looking at what's the root cause.

So a doctor that practices functional
medicine or integrated medicine might

say, okay, the child's constipated.

What would be causing that?

So is it improper diet?

Is there not enough fiber?

Is there not enough hydration?

How much are they drinking?

Is there some type of gut infection?

So you can start then asking the
why, and those solutions will

really impact things long term.

You really wanna start to build a team
that has different perspectives and you'll

have to have different specialists so
that every aspect of health is covered.

'cause there's no reason whatsoever
for someone with autism to live, a life

of GI problems or anxiety or OCD or
sleep problems or picky eating, right?

There's so many things that
we just assume, oh, that's

just autism, but it's not.

And these things certainly can be
resolved and should have attention

on them from a healthcare standpoint.

Candace Dellacona: And how
does a family go about finding

integrative medicine specialist
or a functional medicine doctor?

Particularly, in light of what many
have called the healthcare crisis now,

making sure that their doctors are
accessible and even more rural areas.

I'm fortunate enough to be here in New
York City and probably there are more of

those physicians available to families.

But how do you guide your families and
finding the right functional medicine

doctor to help with an autism diagnosis?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

So functional medicine doctors, typically
you have to pay out of pocket so they

don't participate with insurance plans.

And I got very knowledgeable on functional
medicine because I really wanted to, to

pick the right doctors for my daughter.

So I studied all of them in
the US that focus on autism.

And then as I started working with parents
and helping them assemble their team,

I got to know many of these doctors.

And then I did write a book in 2020.

It's called The Lyon's Report.

And so it explained what functional
medicine is, explained different science

based information that parents should know
or grandparents should know about autism.

And then it also had a directory of
the top functional medicine doctors

in the US that focus on autism.

So these were like the
key opinion leaders.

And in 2026, we will release a
updated version of that book as well.

So it really depends on where
someone is in the States.

Certain states you don't ever have to
visit the doctor in person, so it could be

entirely virtual, which is a real benefit.

So like the state of Oregon, if there's a
functional medicine doctor in Oregon, they

can actually see any patient in the US and
you don't have to visit them once a month.

Whereas in New York State the law
is that the person has to have at

least one in-person visit per year.

So different states have
different requirements.

And so it's just important to figure
out what works best for the family.

Candace Dellacona: Yeah, I think, and
we will obviously have a link to your

book in the show notes, and I think,
part of the Sandwich Generation Survival

Guide's goal is to provide resources
like this and people like you so

that families do know where to begin.

But, going to The Lyon's report,
you put so much work into providing

the sky for families and parents,
grandparents, even as you mentioned.

What would you say are the few facts that
many families come to you that are not

aware of from a scientific perspective and
how that can impact both the child with

autism and be a guide for the families?

Are there sort of, lesser known
scientific facts as it relates to

those who have the autism diagnosis?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yes, there certainly is.

So one of the reasons why I went all
in and really wanted to understand

more and more of the science was when I
first started there were publications,

just occasional ones sprinkled over
the decades of autism showing that

a diagnosis is not lifelong for
everyone who's diagnosed with autism.

So when my daughter was diagnosed,
it was about 10% of kids diagnosed

with autism lost their diagnosis.

And when I say lost it, it means,
right again, it's observation.

The researchers called
that a optimal outcome.

So it was 10% optimal outcome.

The research back then was within
about two years of there being a

diagnosis, then about 10% lost.

So for me, I thought, whoa this is a huge
divergence of possible outcomes, right?

So in one hand, I'm told
there's nothing you can do.

Autism typically gets worse,
it doesn't get better.

And you just kind of like
accept how things are.

You could do maybe some ABA, which
is applied behavioral analysis

but it doesn't work for everyone.

And that's pretty much it.

Whereas I'm reading this
research and it's saying, wait a

second, 10% lose the diagnosis.

How is that possible?

Right?

So that, that's what got me
really interested in knowing the

details, knowing the science.

And then now in 2023, new research
was published, and this was from

Boston Children's Hospital up in
Massachusetts, very reputable hospital.

And their research, they
followed a little over 200 kids.

And when they were diagnosed, average two
years of age, they did analysis at follow

up age, somewhere between five and seven.

And they found 37% of kids with
autism lost their diagnosis.

So they've actually now in the
scientific literature, they're calling

autism, there's a non-persistent
autism and then there still is autism

as it's generally been defined.

But there's so much change that is
going on that they've had to reclassify.

And the thing is, information like this
is not known to the general public.

Candace Dellacona: Well, for sure.

And when you think of a lost
diagnosis, it almost sounds negative,

but I think what you're saying.

Is the opposite, right?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yeah, this is, yes.

Yeah.

So that means that child doesn't
need speech therapy anymore.

It doesn't need occupational therapy
or physical therapy or TA at school or,

all these other additional supports.

It's, they're off doing life, right?

Not having any of those barriers,
whereas parents whose kids have

autism, a lot of times we see our
kids want to do something, but

they're inhibited in some way.

Either they can't speak or, they
have motor control issues, or maybe

anxiety is too high in order to
participate in some social things.

So it's really important for parents to
know this information and then use it

to, to help them follow their intuition.

'cause a lot of times parents
have that little knowing voice.

It's like something could be different.

Candace Dellacona: Listening
to that is really important.

I think that leads to advocacy.

To that point from Boston
Children's, I think that bit of

research seems pretty hopeful.

And it also seems to me, and again, not
a scientist, but having a number, like

37% of kids losing their diagnosis means
that we're onto something and perhaps

there are therapies that are working.

And so, for those parents who are out
there who have just perhaps received

the diagnosis or they have a, that
feeling in their stomach saying something

is wrong, knowledge is power, and
there's so much hope in those numbers.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yes.

And that number, as you
can see, is just growing.

And that's what I saw back even in
2013 when I was reading the research.

It was like, whoa, this
number is just 10%.

Okay, a decade or so ago it was like five.

Okay so there is knowledge there on,
on what to do with autism, right?

That's works for some people.

Obviously not for everyone, but as
a parent you want to know these.

Options and then really assess, okay, is
that, does that make sense for my child?

Does, is that relevant for my child?

And is that something we wanna do?

Candace Dellacona: I love the fact too,
that you're providing the guidance Dr.

Lyons to these families.

Because even with all of the
hope what comes with hope and the

possibilities are a lot of options.

And options can feel really overwhelming
and really noisy to those of us who don't

have that background or don't have the
ability to parse through the information.

So having someone like you as almost
a care navigator seems like a smart

thing to do for a lot of families.

Are there, do you see an uptick with these
families looking for people like you to

help them as their guide to this, what
seems to be a pretty confusing process?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yeah, parents are looking for
quality information, for sure.

So on, TikTok and a variety of different
social media, there's snippets of

parents showing, okay, this was my
child and this is what we did, and

this is what's changed, which is great.

But the important part is to
understand, is that to my child.

So a lot of times parents see
that and they're like, oh my

gosh, okay, let me just try it.

And if you just start trying things,
that's when you don't put in full

effort because you're like, I don't
wanna get my hopes up because I don't

know if this is gonna work for me.

So the more you base your decisions in
science, then the more, in many ways, hope

you can have because there's logic wrapped
around it, not just, random trying.

So that's the really important part.

There's a lot of different symptoms.

There's a lot of different approaches
that are really beneficial, but you've

gotta align the approach and the
therapy with the symptoms of the child.

And that's why autism can seem so
complex, because you can't do the same

thing for one child to another child
and get the exact same results because

their body chemistry is different, right?

So some kids have huge
problems with the guts.

Many kids, right?

But not all.

Some kids have problems with autoimmune
antibodies in the brain, but not all.

So that's where the, in many ways,
tricky part comes from really

understanding the symptoms of your
child, and then making sure whatever

you do is addressing those symptoms.

Candace Dellacona: You speak to something
that is so relevant, particularly

now in the time that we are in.

Trying to separate fact from
fiction and the emphasis on

science, which I so appreciate.

You are one of the science warriors and
you are out there making sure that the

information that we receive is based on
that science and to really follow the

guide of professionals and not look to
TikTok certainly for treatment options.

I think that mediums like that are
helpful maybe to get information

out, but you do have to rely on the
practitioners to advise you if this is

relevant for your own child, because
it's such a big body of research and it

seems, from what I understand and how
you've explained it, is that autism can

manifest so differently, child to child.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yeah so you have level one and level
three and just to talk about the

two ends of the spectrum, right?

So level one is what used
to be called Asperger's.

So Asperger's is no longer a diagnosis.

It's been rolled under
an autism diagnosis.

So that might be a child or a teenager or
a young adult who can dress themselves,

who can cook breakfast, right?

Can walk across the
street and go to school.

But they might have problems
with executive functioning and

some other areas, conversations.

Then you would have level three, which is
someone who is more profoundly autistic.

So they might not be
able to dress themselves.

They might not be able
to bathe themselves.

They might not be able to
speak at all, but yet this is

the same diagnosis of autism.

So you really wanna make sure you
understand what are the priorities

and what is, what are the health
barriers that that child is facing

so that you can get very specific.

You wouldn't do the same thing for both
those kids and expect the same result.

Candace Dellacona: Absolutely.

And sort of segueing into being a
sandwich generation member, some of what

you've shared with me so far is that
your daughter has this autism diagnosis

and you've made your way through and
you're looking to the horizon and

thinking about your own aging parents.

And so for those of us in the middle,
how do you best navigate that piece

when you have a differently needed
child or children and your aging

parents, what is your best advice for
those of us who are dealing with both

ends of the spectrum, if you will?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

I would say definitely to stay
grounded with yourself first.

You can't help either of them well
if you're stressed out and you have

emotional dysregulation, right?

You have no patience.

If there's a problem with either
that, it's just, oh my goodness.

And it feels the pressure
and the overwhelm.

So really having focus on yourself,
and it sounds so cliche, self-care.

It's not.

I remember there were times when I was
just exhausted and really at the end of

my rope and, something great happened
with my daughter and it was like, I

couldn't even fully appreciate it, right?

Because I was so drained.

And so if I can't appreciate the good
things, then, I obviously was not handling

the bad things as well as I could have.

So really being able to check in with
your own bias, okay, how am I sleeping?

And I know sleeping may be difficult
when there might be crisis during

the night as to something's going on.

But, really making sure you get
sleep is important so that your brain

can actually function and be able
to make those decisions and quick

decisions and see different angles
and see different perspectives.

So really starting there is the
only way to do it so that you

bring yourself like your best self
to either of those situations.

Candace Dellacona: I think that's great
advice and I think that, recognizing

our own limits and as you point out.

You can't be your best self if
you're not running on sleep and

you're being forced to make these
decisions, that can be quite difficult.

One of the things that I love that you
mentioned too, is this identity shift.

And looking at a parent of a differently
abled or differently needed child and the

daughter of, or the child of aging parents
and trying to toggle between those two.

So obviously you want to
take care of yourself, but

trying to prioritize the two.

Do you have any advice with respect
to that other than the standard?

Where I say delegate, we have
to ask for help and delegate.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Definitely delegate, but I think it's
forming those bonds right with, because

I know many times with delegating,
I feel like I should be there and

then there ends up being like guilt
feeling and I'm not doing a good job.

Like you can really start to, to
spin in a negative way in your own

head when you start delegating, even
when it's supposed to be helpful.

So I always think it's good to have
conversations with either as to what

is really meaningful help for you.

So I know with my parents you
know what is really meaningful for

them is, quality time with them.

And so when I'm trying to prioritize
what to do, when I get to spend time with

them, and now we take vacations in the
summer and the entire family gets together

because we know this is important, right?

So we all of us adult kids have busy lives
and we all have so many things going on,

but we do our best to prioritize that
time so that we have those memories and

those good places to, to make decisions.

And same with our kids.

Even though right, even a child
with autism that's not speaking,

we can really start to understand
their love languages, right?

Believe it or not, kids
have love languages.

And if they're not talking,
you can still figure out what's

the best way to bond with them.

So for a child who, let's say you
know, gifts is something really

important, that's good to know.

So that maybe you can delegate a certain
aspect of their care, but then, oh, they

love gifts, so let me just go buy, a $2
fidget toy or something that they like.

So that you still know that what
you're doing is meaningful to

them, and I think that's the really
important way to help delegation

feel like not like you don't care.

Candace Dellacona: Yeah.

Yeah.

And also giving other people the
opportunity to love up your child, right?

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Definitely.

Candace Dellacona: And especially
when you have a diagnosis of

autism that can be complicated.

And so perhaps what to do isn't intuitive.

So bringing others into that world to
share what might work best for your child,

your empowering the grandparents, or the
aunts and the uncles to have that bond

and share that bond with your child.

Who, like any child, wants to be
connected to their grandparents,

their aunts, their uncles and cousins.

So that opportunity I think is great.

I also love what you'd said in the past
about, celebrating those victories that

may not look like others victories and
the small things, and not losing sight of

progress that can be made along the way.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

Yeah, it's really important.

Just for so many reasons, and
especially with the people who

have supported you along the way.

So when you have a child with autism
and they're developing differently, you

want to have that supportive family so
that you could go to your parents and

say, oh, thanks for, taking John to
school one day a week so that I could,

do X, Y, Z, because now look, look,
things are changing and you really start

to build that support team around you.

And hopefully you could have
conversations with your parents as

to, okay, I'm a little overwhelmed.

It would be really helpful
if you could do X, Y, Z.

This way then the parent, the grandparent
isn't trying to do something and be

helpful and then you kind of resist that.

Sometimes we, we love each other so
much, we just get a little, a little

tangled in, in what is helpful.

So clear communication is really important
when you're in this kind of stressful

situation so that you can say, this will
be helpful for me, or it won't be helpful

for me, and then that person will wanna
give you more 'cause then it's easier

to receive help that really is worth it.

Candace Dellacona: It really is, and Dr.

Lyons, I can't thank you enough
for being here and sharing

with us, Navigating AWEtism.

And for those listeners it's spelled
like awe in awe, awe, which I love.

And I hope that those of you out there
who have a special needs child or who

loves someone who does, will look to Dr.

Lyon's latest book that hopefully
will come out soon, as you

said, with updated resources.

And we are grateful to have you
here and to shed a little light on

how best to navigate the in-between
when you love someone with autism.

So thank you so much Dr.

Lyons, for being here.

Dr. Theresa Lyons:

My pleasure.

Thank you for having me.