A Place Where All Needs Are Met Under One Roof…

Where Therapists and Volunteers Unite for the Common Goal of Offering Support, Consolation and New Hope to All Children With Special Needs.

Our Beginnings

In 1983, a swelling under her right armpit and a severe skin allergy led to the heart-wrenching diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Disease for Mona Hadeed, heralding the start of what was to be a journey that wove through valleys of the deepest despair, before ultimately ascending to her victory over the cancer.

That journey carried her through her own courageous battle, a further twenty years of being at her beloved husband’s side through his own struggle with cancer, which she eventually lost him to. Then, the devastating discovery that her pregnant daughter had developed a potentially deadly brain tumor and the subsequent birth of her special-needs granddaughter that resulted from the treatment her daughter had to undergo.

What emerged from the ashes of that momentous journey was not just a woman of formidable courage, strength and faith, but also a beautifully inspiring book and a determined, purpose-driven initiative : The St Francis of Assisi Special Needs Clinic. A foundation that offers free services to differently-abled/ special-needs children whose families cannot afford the treatment, life-empowering tools and support that they desperately need.

Our Resolve

Through our Facebook page, we hope to reach and interact with an even greater audience, as well as build the critically-needed financial and volunteer support for the clinic through two major avenues:

1) The sales of “The Healing Desert: In the Sands of Time” and
2) “The Healing Desert” line of greeting cards (https://thehealingdesert.com/),

as well as offering our members a place where they too can find emotional and spiritual support through difficult times.

The cards, all designed by Mona herself and each carrying a dollop of her faith and love straight to the reader, not only offers a chance to support quality local enterprise but all proceeds from the sale of every card and book goes to the clinic.

Please do feel free to reach out to us here; share your thoughts, ask Mona questions about her journey, find out more about the clinic, volunteer, or support our efforts with the purchase of Mona’s book or any of our beautiful, inspirational cards.

Here’s how you can support the Clinic by purchasing books and cards:
“The Healing Desert Inspirational Cards” website – https://healingdesert.com/

The Full Story

Mona Hadeed, though here cataclysmic journey, had emerged as a published author, designer of her own personalized line of inspirational greeting cards and founder of The St. Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center.

During that time, the devastating discovery that her five-month pregnant daughter had developed a potentially deadly brain tumor took her down yet another terrifying and uncertain road. By the grace of God her daughter survived, but as a result of the treatment she underwent, her baby girl was born with Cerebral Palsy. During those years Mona kept a journal in which she wrote of her deepest fears, hopes and prayers.

That journal is now a best-selling, beautifully inspiring book,
“The Healing Desert: In the Sands of Time.“

In her own words:

“In 2002, on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, I received a vision of an hourglass. I had no idea what the significance was, but I knew that it came from God. I bought myself an hourglass and from time to time I prayed for clarity as to its meaning.

Over the years of being with my granddaughter, I saw what parents had to endure to give these children a chance in life and the seed of desire to do something was planted. However, it it was only when I returned to visit the Shrine of St. Francis that it all came together.

His life and works reflected what I felt; the desire to accomplish and the hourglass suddenly had meaning: it would all happen in God’s perfect time.”

In July 2015, The St. Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center was incorporated. Its purpose is to serve as a first class center, where children with Cerebral Palsy primarily, but also including other special needs, can access all the specialty services and care they need to have the best quality of life possible.

Today, proceeds from the sale of every “Healing Desert – In the Sands of Time” book and every inspirational “Healing Desert” greeting card, goes towards funding the operations of The St. Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center.

If you are located in Trinidad & Tobago and are interested in purchasing the book or cards, please email us at: thehealingdesert@gmail.com.

YEARS OPERATING
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families ASSISTED
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Welcome The St Francis of Assisi
Special Needs Center

Every Child Deserves a Chance

Our Vision is to enhance the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy in Trinidad & Tobago, and empower them as much as possible with the tools necessary for integration into society.

Learn How We Can Help You:

Our Mission

To Provide a Facility Which Offers Children With Cerebral Palsy All the Services Necessary to Assist in Their Development, so that They Can Lead Better Quality Lives.

01.
Volunteer Care

Affected kids gain hands-on, earnest care through our expanding group of dedicated volunteers, united by a deep love and appreciation for children.

02.
Training

Our foundation provides workshops, training and in-depth, up-to-date information on existing and emerging treatments to families and caregivers.

03.
Resources

We assist in sourcing and funding the professional care, materials and medical supplies needed to bring joy and an improved standard of care to our children.

what we do

For Children
with Cerebral Palsy

In her own words:
In 2002, on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, I received a vision of an hourglass… I KNEW that it came from God. I bought myself an hourglass and from time to time, I prayed for clarity as to its meaning.
Over the years of being with my granddaughter, I saw what parents had to endure to give these children a chance in life and the seed of desire to do something about it were planted…

St Francis’ life and works reflected what I felt the desire to accomplish, and the hourglass suddenly had meaning: that it would all happen in God’s perfect time.”
Mona M. HadeedFounder of St. Francis of Assisi S.N.C.

the Board of directors

Mona Hadeed
Perla Hadeed
Mary Clarke
Amanda Rahael

Make A Difference to a Child with Special Needs

Our Monthly Goal
USD 1%
Goal USD: $1,000.00
How You Can Lend a Helping Hand

The simplest way to make a difference in the journey to bettering the lives children with Cerebral Palsy, is with a financial donation. Any contribution counts! Big or small, we are grateful for it all!

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  • How Your Donations Help Our Work

    Each and every donation becomes a blessing that goes towards the support and maintenance of the various initiatives and team members that offer support to children in Trinidad and Tobago affected by Cerebral Palsy. The St. Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center provides these youth, as well as their parents, teachers, caregivers, pediatricians and occupational therapists, with access to multi-disciplinary care, workshops, training, information and supplies to these beautiful childern.

There’s More Than One Way to Help!

The next time you want to let someone special know that you are thinking of them, send them a kind thought, a blessing or just a thank you,
wrapped up in a “Healing Desert” card! Look for our banner at any of these locations.

Further support the clinic

Explore Our Collection of Inspirational
Books and Cards

Make a difference in the lives of our children and gain a token of hope to share with your loved ones.
The profits from every single “Healing Desert” card sold (all designed by Mona herself and 100% locally produced)
go towards funding the operations of the center.

Find Out How

 Become a Volunteer!

There are many ways you can lend a hand. This center’s aim is to be a hub of information and resources for parents, teachers, caregivers and other established organizations. We offer technical support and help with the sourcing of funds for medical and teaching equipment.

But there’s just a handful of us and extra support is always needed! We could use:

Volunteers to visit other centers and organizations to assess their needs.
Help with sourcing donations and planning/organizing fund-raising activities.
Your professional services—from therapy to carpentry—there’s always a need!
Tell us how you would like to help

What We’ve Accomplished

Spotlight Presentation on Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Children with Complex Communication Needs

On Saturday 29th September 2018, the St. Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center was very proud to be able to facilitate its first workshop. In collaboration with The Right Start Early Intervention for Autism, the workshop – entitled ‘UP, UP AND AWAY!’ – was “A Spotlight Presentation on Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Children with Complex Communication Needs” and was hosted at The Right Start’s location on Carlos Street.

The workshop was offered completely free of charge to parents, teachers, caregivers, pediatricians and occupational therapists of children with special needs. It featured Speech-Language Pathologist, Ms. Krista Hadeed, MS. CCC-SLP, as the keynote speaker.

Session A was open to professionals only, and among the objectives of this session were:

Recognizing who can benefit from the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices
Identifying types of AAC communicators
Identifying various access methods
Sharing proven (evidence-based) implementation strategies

Session B was for Parents and Caregivers, who benefitted from learning about:

The difference between ‘speech’ and ‘language’
Identifying ‘no tech’, ‘low tech’ and ‘high tech’ AAC communication methods
Some of the myths and barriers associated with the use of AAC devices
Proven success  resulting from the use of AAC communication methods

The workshop
The first of its kind here in Trinidad & Tobago, was attended by approximately 45 parents, caregivers, teachers and medical professionals.
A follow-up workshop is now in the planning stages.

A Place Where All Needs Are Met Under One Roof. Where Therapists and Volunteers Unite for the Common Goal of Offering Support, Consolation and New Hope to All Children With Special Needs.

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