A new program helps connect parents who have kids with special needs with mentors

Best Buddies is expanding The nonprofit that supports people with disabilities now offers a new scheme It provides sponsorship to families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities Heather Walker has tonight s Spotlight We all know it s not easy being a mom Having a baby with a disabilities makes it even harder Kelly Caba is displaying cheer now but when she first learned her daughter Abby was going to be born with Down syndrome she was heartbroken Kelly Caba You don t know what to think You don t know what this is I didn t know anybody with Down syndrome I don t understand what this means She says she was in shock Kelly Caba Honestly it was the roughest thing because you are veritably grieving the child that you thought you were going to have In that moment she didn t know what to do next Kelly Caba I contemplated termination But then she met a mom and her very special daughter Kelly Caba That s the first time I revealed We were going to be OK because I saw a child with Down syndrome I saw her I saw her running I saw her playing Kelly revealed that meeting changed everything Kelly Caba The love I had for her was greater than the fear I had of her evaluation Now Kelly is helping other moms through a new venture called Eunie s Buddies The nonprofit is named after Eunice Kennedy Shriver who created The Special Olympics The group matches expecting parents who will have a disabled child with a mentor who has gone through the challenges they are about to face Camila Carpenter It s great my mentor is Kelly She is amazing she is wonderful She calls me to check on me regularly which is awesome She is the sweetest person Camila Carpenter gave birth to her son Noah in February She reported her mentor from Eunie s Buddies has been a blessing Camila Carpenter She s walked my shoes and it s different and it s different getting a perspective from a mom because that s what I needed So different milestones that Noah is falling behind on and now I m not so worried anymore Whenever Camila demands a recommendation for a healthcare provider school or just a friend who will listen her mentor is there and the backing goes both strategies Kelly Caba I love it because it s building population and building public is what makes us stronger We want a better future for our kids we want a better outcome for our kids and we can get that once we get to know each other and we work together Because it takes a village to raise a child Heather Walker News And if you re interested join us this Saturday at a m for the annual Ed Ansin Best Buddies Friendship Walk at loanDepot Park If you know of a person place or group that you think we should highlight email us at spotlight wsvn com