Dr RADICA MAHASE
“…treat Down Syndrome persons with respect and inclusion. We are just like everyone else. We have the same feelings and would like to make friends with other people. We feel uncomfortable when people stare at us as if we are strange beings. We can learn like everybody else. It may take us longer but if the learning starts early enough and we are placed in regular but inclusive schools and classes, we could progress far. We like to be included in everything that everyone else does, like attending ordinary schools and being in sports teams like other students.”
This is a message from 28-year-old Kellie Shanice Simmons.
Kellie’s mother, Chery-Ann Simmons noted that, “We were told that even if Kellie learns to walk and talk, we should not expect too much of her as she would never be a brain surgeon. So, we should take her home and just love her and make her comfortable.”
Today, Kellie is a customer care representative intern at Scotiabank. She is an equestrian and a Special Olympian, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi in 2019. She is also a pannist and a member of the Invaders Junior Steel Orchestra.
Kellie’s achievement and successes show that with proper support systems in place and with access to opportunities, people with Down Syndrome and other special needs, can develop their talents and skills, can be gainfully employed and can live fulfilling lives.
Kellie’s mom noted, “Kellie was born in Barbados which has reasonably good healthcare services so even if she had complications most of these would have been treatable using Barbadian facilities.”
From age three to seven years Kellie attended a Montessori school, after which she was placed in a regular school where she continued her studies up to standard two. Kellie was enrolled in a special programme which catered to children with greater developmental needs. She was in a small class of eight students, with special developmental programmes for each child within the class.
“In addition to Kellie’s academic education, we had started her on a physical therapy programme designed for children with serious physical developmental issues from the time she was six months old to18 months and we then continued the exercises on our own until she was about three years old.”
Kellie was enrolled in piano, gymnastics, lawn tennis, ballet dancing and swimming classes from age seven until 11.
When the family returned to Trinidad, Kellie attended Eshe’s Learning Centre and Goodwill Industries of the West Indies. There she majored in food preparation and was a member of the Goodwill Steel Orchestra. She learnt to ride a horse at the Police Barracks in St James.
[caption id="attachment_919560" align="alignnone" width="958"] Kellie Shanice Simmons playing the pan at a public event. - courtesy Cheryl-Ann Simmons[/caption]
She belongs to the Down Syndrome Family Network and through the NGO’s mentorship programme, she was an intern at the Cen
