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Mother's mission to educate students that those with Down syndrome are "amazing friends"

Sana Soussi is the mother of Salim, a third grade student who has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. She wants to help educate students about the condition, and guide how they should interact with their peers who have it. Tuesday is World Down Syndrome Day, a day for awareness that has been officially observed by the United Nations for more than a decade now. One Blaine mother is on a mission to help educate students about the condition, as well as how they should interact with their peers who have it. Behind her story is a friendship worth celebrating, with Sana Soussi, the mother of Salim, a third grade student who has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Salim's best friend in school is Sofia, and the two schoolmates have been best friends since kindergarten. There are 4,500 Minnesotans like Salim who have a Down syndrome diagnosis.

Mother's mission to educate students that those with Down syndrome are "amazing friends"

Opublikowany : 12 miesięcy temu za pomocą By Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield w General

BLAINE, Minn. -- Tuesday is World Down Syndrome Day, a day for awareness that has been officially observed by the United Nations for more than a decade now.

One Blaine mother is on a mission to help educate students about the condition, as well as how they should interact with their peers who have it. Behind her story is a friendship worth celebrating.

Sana Soussi is the mother of Salim, a third grade student who has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Salim's best friend in school is Sofia.

"My favorite thing about Salim is that he is really kind and gives lots of hugs and his smile is just so big on his face and he has just a really warm heart," Sofia said.

The two schoolmates have been best friends since kindergarten.

"She is helping him go places, handing him a paper, handing things to him," Sana Soussi said. "I noticed she was doing it not the baby way, but the right way. She was helping him, and I like that."

She and Salim's father want more children to follow suit.

"Maybe it's a little bit weird to them, a little bit different, just to understand he is a normal kid just like you," Ahmed Soussi said.

Sana Soussi is making that point on the big stage at DaVinci Academy in Ham Lake. She even had a pediatrician to explain what the extra chromosome is all about. She has hopes this lesson will carry on down the road.

"I want them to understand Down syndrome is not scary or to judge off of fear. I want them to understand off Down syndrome. I want them to understand kids with Down syndrome are amazing friends, they are social, they are the best friends you could ever ask for," she said.

In the moment WCCO caught up with them, Salim and Sophia had big plans coming up. They couldn't wait to go swimming together.

"Sofia and me are best friends, I love her too," Salim said.

There are 4,500 Minnesotans like Salim who have a Down syndrome diagnosis.

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