Gerrilynn Buffalo

Gerrilynn (Gerri) Buffalo is the main support for her 13-year-old son, Cassius, who has autism. Getting a diagnosis for Cassius was an ordeal. It didn’t take long for Gerrilynn to notice that Cassius exhibited some behaviours that seemed unusual to her, like stimming, hand gestures and having a difficult time with food textures. But seeking advice from medical professionals was complicated. “When talking to doctors, I worry that they won’t believe me—that I’m making everything up,” she says. “There is a lot of judgement because I am Native.” 

Nevertheless, Gerri wants the best for her son, and so she advocated for a diagnosis. During that time—and even before it—Gerri can’t remember a single time a health-care professional asked her about her cultural preferences for receiving care. But, she notes, the first questions often asked to both her and Cassius were whether they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

Realizing the extra attention needed to care for Cassius, Gerrilynn, like many other caregivers, quit her job. “I want to work, but I worry about leaving him alone. He likes to open and close doors and sometimes wanders. I don’t have access to additional support, and I can’t leave him alone,” she says. 

Cassius–who loves trains, drawing and playing with his uncle’s cats and hamsters – is taking a break from school because his local school could not appropriately support his needs, leaving Gerri worried about his learning, care and safety. During this time of transition, Gerri is helping Cassius develop independence skills, like cooking simple meals and developing good personal habits–typical lessons for any new teenager. 

Gerri is grateful to organizations, like Autism Society of Edmonton, for the support and resources that have helped her understand her son’s diagnosis and navigate the system of specialists and programs to help with Cassius’ development. 

When asked about what kind of support she wished there was more of, Gerri noted the need for more culturally appropriate resources and care, free of judgement and racism. 

“Everything I do now is for Cassius,” she says. “It’s hard, but I have to be patient. I want him to be in a good school, pursuing drawing and a better life. I hope that things for both of us get a little bit easier.”