DEDICATED member of Careways Workshop, Brenda Boisson has been an inspiration to many because, despite her disability, she lives life to the fullest, grasping every opportunity which came her way, and often had the initiative to be pro-active and influence opportunities herself.
At the age of 68, Brenda continues to be an ambassador for people with Down Syndrome. She has achieved much in her life, and is considered to be one of the oldest persons with Down Syndrome in KZN.
On Monday, 30 July, Careways Kloof bid farewell to this remarkable woman who has made her mark despite her disability.
Brenda was born on 28 June, 1950 in Durban.
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At the time of her birth (and for many years afterwards) Brenda’s parents, Ailsa and Stanley Boisson, were not aware or told by doctors that Brenda had Down Syndrome.
She was not kept in the background, but grew up in Hillary as an important part of her family, went everywhere with them and was included in everything, which stimulated and benefited her. In hindsight, her parents were years ahead of their time as this was during a less enlightened era.
Brenda attended a local nursery school and primary school, and later joined the Special Class when she could not keep up with the other children.
Under the guidance of a remedial teacher, her mother spent a lot of time helping her to learn. As a result Brenda was good at spelling,writing and reading, typing, playing the piano, swimming and has an excellent vocabulary.
Speech therapy helped her to speak more clearly.
Brenda speaks at conferences and workshops
As a teenager she boarded for four years at a convent school for children with learning difficulties.
In Brenda’s words, “the hard work my mother put in when I was young made me far more independent than a lot of other Down Syndrome folk.”
For 12 years, after finishing her schooling, she was fortunate to be a helper at a small school in Northdene, until the nuns were re-deployed by their Mother House and the school was forced to close. Over the years since then Brenda helped at other crèches and worked in sheltered employment.
Life expanded for Brenda with the formation of the Down Syndrome Association in Durban in 1976.
She was invited, as a person with Down Syndrome, to speak on many occasions at schools and organisations in and around Durban, at Edgewood Teachers’ Training College, to nurses in training, at Down Syndrome AGMs and conferences in both Johannesburg and Durban.
Over the years Brenda has been interviewed by newspapers writing articles on her achievements, and on radio as part of Down Syndrome Awareness Days.
In 1999 Brenda attended an International Down Syndrome Conference in Jerusalem where she participated in and spoke at workshops. (As an example of her initiative and determination, attending this conference was dependent on funds being raised. Brenda phoned Highway Mail’s sister newspaper, the Queensburgh News, asked a journalist to interview her, take a photo, and include her appeal for funds in the write-up).
She has given encouragement and hope to many parents expecting a baby with Down Syndrome.
In 1992 the Durban Y-club opened its doors to the mentally handicapped. Brenda joined their gymnastics programme travelling into Durban alone by bus, and in 1995 qualified for the Special Olympic World Games in Newhaven, Connecticut, USA.
She has always been an active member of her church and women’s groups.
She has written and typed out the story of her life, which she is still waiting for her family to publish on her behalf.
When her mother died in 2002, Brenda decided that, in case she outlived her sisters, she should find somewhere to live (again her initiative).
Brenda was already a member of the Careways Workshop in Kloof, so when Careways House, Richmond, KZN opened in 2005 she moved into the small residence which she eventually shared with nine other intellectually challenged folk.
She is a devoted great aunt to her many nieces and nephews.
Between 2010 and now retiring she has been back enjoying the Careways Workshop in Kloof.
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