However, those families can now turn to the 25 years of experiences documented in a book called "Na'na', Hail and Zanjabeel" (Mint, Cardamom and Ginger), a book considered the first in the Kingdom featuring the families of disabled kids narrating their successful experiences of dealing with the mental and physical disabilities of their children.
It features real-life stories written by around 81 members of Help Center families with children with mental disabilities who wanted throughout this book to share their experiences etched in their minds and remarkable incidents in addition to undoubted feelings and emotions they have experienced during this long period of dealing with and training their children.
The families along with their children gathered on Saturday evening at Virgin Megastore in Al-Roshana Center on Tahliyah Street to receive guests interested in the book during a special book signing organized by the Help Center.
According to Maha Juffali, head of the center, the book signing featured seven young men and women from the help center who were very delighted to sign copies for customers.
She added that the objective of the book is to facilitate communication between families with disabled children. "I think this is a gift and I'd like to express gratitude to everyone involved, especially the parents and families of children with disabilities," Juffali added.
Umm Fatimah, one of the mothers who contributed to the book, said it includes a selection of true stories that emanates from the heart of families. She also noted that the stories within the book are narrated by mothers, fathers, siblings and some relatives of disabled children.
"The parents along with the authorities from the Help Center chose this eye-catching title because these three refreshing herbs, mint, cardamom and ginger, describe the feelings and emotions being expressed in different ways. We aim throughout this book to convey a message for other families with children who are mentally disabled and call on them to start a happy life with their children with high hopes and long-lasting optimism," said another mother, Umm Haifa.
Roula Al-Khateeb, director of the CSR department at the Help Center, said reading and listening to the stories written or narrated by parents and relatives of such children could be one of the very effective supportive emotional factors for other families who are going through the same experience or have a newborn child with a mental disability.
"This book has come as a result of long planning and collaboration between the CSR department and the families of children in the center, who decided to make a practical reference book of life experiences that can reinforce the process of training and educating children with special needs," Al-Khateeb added.
