Related videos:
On the World Autism Awareness Day, Arelys Ferrer Pérez, the mother of a 20-year-old young man with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), published an open letter on Facebook last Wednesday addressed to President Miguel Díaz-Canel, demanding that the Cuban government listen to the families of individuals with autism.
Ferrer Pérez, residing in the municipality of Guanabacoa, Havana, signed the letter on behalf of his son Owen Francisco Quintana Ferrer and many other families who have been sending requests to the authorities for years without receiving a response.
"We have approached the authorities of our country with respect, and we have NEVER received a response, let alone had our concerns addressed," he said
"Mr. President, for several years many families have reached out to various institutions in our country, including ministries and, in recent years, to the National Assembly of People's Power. We did this on March 22, 2021, during the Covid epidemic, and another letter was sent three years later, signed by families and supported by a group of intellectuals from our culture who are involved in the project 'The Sea and Us,' a project that supports and brings visibility to this disorder," the letter reads.
Ferrer Pérez lamented "the discrimination and lack of visibility, if not outright absence, experienced by autistic adults."
"Our children, even those with severe autism, have been summoned to the medical committee of the FAR because they do not have a disability card or any institution to support and represent them. I experienced this with my son... while all the young people who appeared before the medical committee were talking and using their cell phones, my son was holding a toy and was having a tough moment facing a situation for which he was not prepared. Moreover, the doctors felt COMPASSION... Because it was evident, my son should not have had to go to that place," she reported.
This mother also complained that her "children are confined to their home from ages 16 to 18 (due to their characteristics, they cannot all participate in projects)."
"Our children, even those with severe autism, have been summoned to the FAR medical commission because they do not have a disability card or any institution to support and represent them. I experienced this with my son... while all the young people who attended the medical commission were talking and using their cell phones, my son had a toy in his hands and was going through a difficult moment facing a situation for which he was not prepared. I add that the doctors felt COMPASSION... because it was evident, my son should not have had to be in that place," she reported.
"I decided to write this letter because I am not afraid to speak about my experiences... and I know that many others share them, more than I would like to acknowledge... I ask you, as a Cuban... to take out from the drawer where the hope of many parents has been stored, those who contribute to the development of this country, and those who have had to leave behind their degrees and white coats to live a confined life with their sons and daughters,” she added.
“President Miguel Diaz Canel Bermúdez, today is another April 2nd... but it is also another day where our love for those who did not ask but are vulnerable compels us to be their voice... This will be the advanced testament that I will one day leave to my son, and I ask everyone I know to read it...” he concluded.
In September of last year, Félix Berto, a six-year-old boy diagnosed with moderate autism and intellectual disability, was excluded from school after the Ministry of Educationdecided to deny him enrollment in a specialized center, as reported by his mother, Dr. Yislainet Lara, a Stomatology specialist.
Filed under: