Ability centre to expand
"I was not sure if he would pull through," said Mrs Dos Santos
The newly-opened Steven’s Ability Centre is expanding.
Its founder, Mrs Vanessa Dos Santos, said the bigger and more spacious facility will allow her to introduce more activities.
Mrs Dos Santos launched the centre in honour of her last born son, Steven, who was born with Down Syndrome.
“Although I knew during my pregnancy that he would be be born with the condition, nothing could have ever prepared me for what was to come after he arrives. He was born dead due to the umbilical cord being wrapped too tightly around his neck and he could not breathe. At birth he was immediately taken away and resuscitated. Two hours after his birth, doctors came back and told me he had cerebral palsy. During that time, my heart broke into a million pieces. I was not sure if he would pull through,” said Mrs Dos Santos.
She said for many years she struggled to get her son into a school.
“All schools for pupils with special needs wanted nothing to do with him until I threatened legal action. He was finally admitted into a special needs school in Forest Town but nine years later, they let him go and he has been at home since,” said Mrs Dos Santos.
She said after visiting care centres for young adults with Steven’s condition she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“Most of these centres have depressing environments with few to no activities to stimulate them,” she said.
In came Steven’s Ability Centre and Coffee Shop.
The centre opened its doors for the first time on May 3 and accommodates eight young adults with developmental disabilities.
It offers a variety of activities throughout the day.
Mrs Dos Santos said the bigger space will allow her to introduce activities such as table tennis and get in more computers.
“Table tennis helps them a lot with hand and eye coordination and computer games help with stimulation,” she said.
She said although parents of the young adults pay a fee on a monthly basis, none of it is for her profit.
“Every cent goes into the running of the centre. A lot of time, effort and money has gone into this. For me it’s about giving love and seeing them happy. The feedback I receive from parents on how their lives were changed for the better is satisfying,” said Mrs Dos Santos.
She urged residents and passersby to visit and support the centre’s coffee shop.
“When we have customers, the young adults come out and serve them and all the tips go into our outing tin and they use them to pay for special outings,” she said.
The centre is on 23 Nicol Road in Bedfordview.
