En. Dzulkaedah is an avid runner with a dream to run in all World Marathon Majors. He ran in the Tokyo Marathon in 2014. That was before his son Dzarif was diagnosed with autism. Dzarif is now 4 years old, he was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old.

Dzarif is low verbal. Around 45-50% of children with autism attending NASOM programs are categorised as non-verbal, low verbal or with speech difficulties. Dzulkaedah knows what it is like to have a son with autism who is low verbal. Dzarif is relatively fortunate. His parents can afford some speech therapy programs for him. But the cost of speech therapy programs is beyond reach of most children with autism who come from lower income families. Additionally, speech therapy is a highly specialised profession and there is a serious shortage of speech therapists in Malaysia.

Dzulkaedah will be running in the 44th Berlin Marathon on 24th September this year. And he wants to help as many children with autism who are non-verbal or low verbal but do not have access to speech therapy programs because their parents cannot afford them. By running in Berlin Marathon in September this year, as well as in future World Marathon Majors, Dzulkaedah wants to raise funds to help children with autism from low income families to access speech therapy services.

A special fund will be established for the purpose. All donations, contributions and sponsorship raised from Dzulkaedah's participation in the Berlin Marathon, and all future World Marathon Majors will go to a fund, named Dzarif Dzulkaedah Fund in honour of Dzarif, so that as many as possible children with autism who are non-verbal or low verbal like him regardless of their socio-economic challenges can get early speech therapy intervention.

The Dzarif Dzulkaedah Fund will be administered by NASOM, and NASOM will source the speech therapy services to be offered to children with autism who meet the household income criteria, via NASOM centres nationwide.