Family Spotlight: Meet the Saffers!

GiGi’s NYC is delighted to introduce the Saffer Family: loving parents Yvette and Brett, and darling baby Sammy! The Saffers graciously accepted our invitation to blog about their wonderful family, to share their experiences and pearls of wisdom with our community. We can’t wait to watch Sammy continue to grow and to make many more memories with this beautiful family. Read below to learn more about the Saffers:

How and when did you first get involved with GiGi’s NYC? We got involved with GiGi’s NYC in the summer of 2021, during our pregnancy with Sammy. We contacted Jane, Board Co-President, to learn more about the organization, and we were invited to participate in multiple programs including TableTalk. 

How did you find out about GiGi’s NYC?  We first discovered GiGi’s NYC through recommendations from family members and providers at Mount Sinai, as well as researching on the NDSS website. 

What are you most proud of about your loved one so far? We are most proud that Sammy is a loving and determined little girl. As a 1-year-old, she is extremely curious and is always eager to learn. She is picking up sign language, expressing herself more than ever, and loves spending time with her family. 

Tell us about the programs you and your loved one attend at GiGi’s NYC and how you and your loved one have benefited from them? LMNOP is the program at GiGi’s NYC that we have attended the most frequently. This music program for infants and toddlers has given us the chance to develop valuable relations with other parents and to meet children around the same age as Sammy. Sammy has greatly benefited from the class, as she has been able to socialize with other children and learn new songs and interactive activities. We have also observed the TeenTastic program, which allowed us to meet additional parents and young adults. We even participated in GiGi’s NYC Halloween party. Sammy dressed up as Baby Yoda! 

What are your hopes for your loved one’s future? Our hopes for Sammy’s future are that she will do anything she would like to do in life and have all the happiness that she deserves. We look forward to remaining involved in her journey and development throughout the years to come, while helping her grow and navigate all the successes and challenges that may come her way. 

What would you tell another family that just received a diagnosis?  It’s okay to feel however you are feeling right now. You may be overwhelmed and scared, or you may feel completely fine, and that is okay. There is a future that is wonderful and there is a lot of love in this journey. We would encourage you to speak with other parents who have children with Down syndrome and learn about their experiences, as well as participate in an event with GiGi’s NYC to meet the community. In our experience, as we learned more, and especially after Sammy was born, we realized that there is absolutely nothing to be scared of. On the contrary, we learned that there is so much to look forward to. No matter what challenges you may learn are associated with Down syndrome, the most common symptoms of Down syndrome are kindness, humor, creativity, and love. 

In your opinion, what is the biggest misconception about Down syndrome?  One of the biggest misconceptions is that Down syndrome makes life limited, unfulfilling, or sad. This is not true. People with Down syndrome live full, happy lives and can reach their dreams. We have seen so many wonderful accomplishments in the Down syndrome community in many fields such as academia, sports, and the arts. Just because someone has some differences, it does not mean it is a bad thing. 

What is your favorite thing about the GiGi’s NYC community? We love how the GiGi’s NYC community is so welcoming and instantly made us feel like we were part of a family. We have developed many valuable relationships with other families and look forward to remaining involved.