Suzanne Wright | Autism activist, 69

Suzanne Wright, 69, a cofounder of the advocacy group Autism Speaks, died of pancreatic cancer Friday at her home in Fairfield, Conn., an organization spokeswoman said.

She helped build the group into one of the leading voices for people with the developmental disorder. She and her husband, former NBC Universal CEO Bob Wright, founded Autism Speaks in 2005 after their grandson's diagnosis. The New York-based organization funds research, raises awareness, and spotlights the needs of people with autism and their families.

As part of her role, she appeared at events at the U.N. annually for eight years on World Autism Awareness Day, April 2.

She also helped spearhead Autism Speaks' decade-long public service announcement campaign about early signs of the disorder. - AP