So, let’s talk about Tony Snell’s fight for an NBA contract and how it could help not only him but also his autistic sons…

The news of the former NBA player desperately looking for teams to be part of has recently gone viral. According to reports, he’s trying to secure his 10th year of service to be eligible in the premium health benefits program of the NBA.

Just last year, not only did he learn that he’s autistic; but he also discovered that both of his sons are autistic as well. And by being eligible for the NBA’s medical program, he would be helping his family receive the needed services.

Unfortunately, especially in this country, the experience of being part of the autism spectrum is not an easy feat. Not to mention how the journey gets a lot more difficult when you’re Black.

But here we have a father whose children have autism, and who is actually autistic himself, and he’s recognizing the burden, and taking action for his loved ones.

As a father of two autistic children and husband to an autistic wife, I recognize that act of love and the need for him to get on that program.

Join me in this week’s episode of Medicine Mondays as we advocate for Tony Snell and discuss the importance of autism awareness at the same time.

Why you need to check this episode:

• Understand the hurdles people in the autism spectrum go through, especially when they’re Black;
• Recognize the importance of spreading autism awareness; and
• Find out how the future could be so much better if you take action for your autistic loved ones now

“I am Dr. Berry Pierre, a concerned father of autistic children and the husband of an autistic wife, who recognizes the importance of getting the services needed and the importance of having network connections, and having all the barriers in front of you knocked down because the outlook and the outcome could be so much greater if you’re aggressive now.” – Dr. Berry Pierre

Notable Quotes:

“There are a lot more people on the outside, who don’t have the resources, who don’t have the connections, who don’t have the things needed but they still want to take care of their loved ones. Why should the fact that you don’t have access, from a financial perspective or just from a networking perspective, preclude your kids from getting the services that they need?” – Dr. Berry Pierre

“You may be wondering, like Dr. Berry, why is it so important just to get the diagnosis? Because unfortunately, especially in this country, you don’t even qualify for any of the services until that diagnosis occurs.” – Dr. Berry Pierre

“When you talk to an autistic community, they’ll tell you that early intervention is so important. So, time delay is not an option.” – Dr. Berry Pierre

“Even if you can see the resources, it almost hurts more knowing that those resources may be unattainable to those who can’t jump over the obstacles that are there.” – Dr. Berry Pierre

“When we talk about autism, if you catch it early enough and you have the interventions that are there, guess what? The outcomes at the end are going to be better.” – Dr. Berry Pierre

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