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by the local professionals who saw him was what he would ‘ never ’ be able to do . No one was able to tell me what he could do … no one gave me even a ray of hope .
This led me to go on a search for answers . The search led me to a pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Florida , where I received my first ray of hope . It was there that I learned to see my child , not for what he can and cannot do , but for who he is .
I learned what to expect from his condition , how to support his development and how to advocate for him .
I learned that my little Nathan represents a growing population of children in Jamaica and around the world with this disability and that 1 in 4 children has a serious visible or invisible disability .
I learned that every day parents receive the diagnosis of disability and that like me , they too struggle to find answers .
I learned that the information I gather can be useful to parents and teachers to help them understand and support children with disabilities .
I went through a I remember when period of utter despair . I we were finally thought the diagnosis was a taking Nathan death sentence , and that my son home from the would would have died as an infant . hospital an I became very afraid of leaving him experienced alone , let alone going to sleep . Fear matron told me was my constant companion the best gift I for a long time . could have given my baby was the gift of siblings . She told me that he may be sick for a long time ( though she didn ’ t explain what that meant , and I didn ’ t have the presence of mind then to ask ). So , from the first day home , his siblings , though they were 8 , 6 and 4 at the time , were taught how to hold him and how to help . This was the best advice I could have gotten , because it helped to create a remarkably close knitted family . We have become such a well-oiled machinery when it comes to supporting and caring for him . This has been instrumental in helping to normalize Nathan ’ s childhood and upbringing , even although very few rehabilitation services were available to him in Jamaica .
After the trip to Florida in 2007 , I became fully aware of the huge gaps in information and services that existed in Jamaica . I now understood his disability and the possible ways it may impact his growth and development . I learned that he was not broken and learned what to expect from his condition , how to support his development , how advocate for him .
I became very frustrated upon my return when I realized that the services , laws , and mindset needed to help Nathan and other children like him was not present . So , in 2007 , I formed the Nathan Ebanks Foundation to bring support to these children and their families in Jamaica . Through advocacy , training for parents and teachers and public education , the Nathan Ebanks Foundation works for participation , inclusion , and empowerment for children with disabilities and special needs .