Brenda Taylor shares journey of raising a blind child

For most mothers, giving birth is a joyous occasion that remains forever imprinted on their hearts and minds. But for Brenda Taylor, who gave birth to premature twin girls more than 18 years ago, that joy was also accompanied by fear of the unknown. Grappling with complications that would become life changing for one of her daughters, Taylor dug deep and found the strength to continue her journey of motherhood and provide love and support to see her children thrive.

With the girls each weighing one and a half pounds at birth, Taylor recalls how emotional it made her. “I cried and prayed a lot when my girls were born. They were so tiny and I was scared. I was discharged before them, and so I would spend every day at the hospital until they were healthy enough to leave,” said Taylor.

After spending four weeks in the hospital, her daughters, Toshtica and Soshtica Sang were released. Receiving too much oxygen had made Toshtica blind while her sister went home without any permanent issues. With the support of her family and community, Taylor cared for her children with everything she had.

“My entire family, as well as my community in Petersfield, St Mary, was a very strong pillar of support. Everybody loved them, and Toshtica never felt alone. She has a strong relationship with her twin. Toshtica is very extroverted while her sister is introverted; they complement each other well,” said Taylor.

Not an easy task

Financially, being responsible for twins was not an easy task, and having a daughter with a physical disability made it even harder. From working on construction sites and cleaning up roads to housekeeping and babysitting jobs, Taylor shared that being a single parent meant she had to do whatever was available in order to provide for her children.

After basic school, Toshtica was enrolled in the Salvation Army School for the Blind in Kingston, while her sister went to St Mary’s Retreat Primary School. The separation was tough on the twins, but Taylor tried to get Toshtica back to St Mary every weekend.

Taylor highlighted that for Toshtica, being blind is normal because it is all she has known. But as a mother, she worried about her all the time. “I cried every morning when dropping her off to school. The world is very unfriendly, especially for people with disabilities. Not many try to empathise, and so I am always worried about her,” said Taylor.

Toshtica, who is now approaching 19 years old, is a first-year student at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, where she is studying to become a music teacher. Taylor shared that Toshtica has been singing since she was a child and has a strong passion for the arts. After performing at a function held by We Inspire Jamaica last year, Toshtica made a big impression and inspired Red Stripe to award her a tuition scholarship as part of their Beer Love Valentine’s Day initiative.

“We continue to stand up for music, and this is why we decided to award a $100,000 scholarship to Toshtica Sang to assist with her tuition fees so that she can be one step closer to her dream of teaching music,” said Reshima Kelly, junior brand manager for Red Stripe and innovation. “We are always finding new ways to encourage Jamaicans to be the best that they can be and what better way to show our appreciation of their continued support than on the universal day of love, Valentine’s Day,” she concluded.

Taylor is encouraging mothers with children who are blind or otherwise physically challenged, to just be there for them every step of the way. She believes that communication is very important as children need to know that they can talk to their parents about any problem they are having; that their parents believe in their dreams and that they should never give up.