Sometimes out of pain purpose is found. I’m Rosemary Akyaa Poku, a member of the Ghana Downsyndrome Association and a mother of a gift called Squishy. I planned so well for the arrival of my daughter. I had a fair idea of the schools I wanted her to attend, the friends I wanted her to make, who I wanted her to be and how I wanted her to live, little did I know the journey I planned will land me at a different destination I wasn’t prepared for.

My pretty Squishy was born on 26th October 2021, I received her downsyndrome diagnosis a week after her birth. This threw me in a state of dismay and disappointment, I became weary and unable to attend to her due to the state I found myself in. It was also difficult and expensive at the time to engage therapist or find parents and caregivers who had walked the journey to help me navigate. I begun a search on social media for support, this eventually led me to a group of parents and caregivers of children with downsyndrome.

Through their counseling and coaching, I picked up my pieces and became the mother Squishy needed. The journey has been that of pain, anguish, fear, acceptance, celebrations and fulfillment. Through this journey the Sassy Squishy Foundation was born, to provide easy accessibility to therapists and counselors to parents and caregivers of persons living with disabilities.

We believe enhancing the well-being of families will strengthen their ability to provide care for their dependents with disabilities. Many children living with disability could have been saved if their caregivers received counseling and education on their diagnosis, many would have been alive today if their caregivers and community received adequate coaching and information about their diagnosis. We are here to rewrite these stories; we are the change we seek to have.