Being a sibling can be complicated and challenging. Many siblings grow up not knowing there are other people out there with similar experiences, but it can really help to know that you’re not alone. In this section, adult siblings share their stories of life with their disabled brother or sister.
My brother Mike and I were born in the late 1960s. In our early years, we were very close as we were near in age. We grew up with an extended family of grandparents, aunts and uncles. We used to mimic TV programs of the time like Bonanza, we painted each other’s faces, we were … Continued
My parents were foster carers. In 1976 when I was 4, a baby boy named Paul was placed with us. I cannot remember a time before Paul and I grew up together as brothers. Paul has severe learning disabilities and autism. He communicates through rote behavior & echolalia learnt through his lifetime. In the ‘moment’ … Continued
After the sudden death of a mother, the elderly father reluctantly turned to his son and asked if carers would possibly help with his daughter. A lady who lives with a learning disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, anxiety and mobility issues. His son had spent the past 30 years working within Adult Social Care, to understand … Continued
My debut novel, Patience, was published in hardback in August. At its heart is a severely disabled woman, Patience, who understands everything, even though everyone around her thinks she can’t. It took me a long time to realise – well into the editing process for the novel, long after I’d been given a book deal … Continued
“The Search for Still Waters is about one sibling’s journey to make sense of his feelings around the life and death of his sister, who had severe cerebral palsy. Aoife couldn’t walk or talk and her condition was little understood in 1980’s rural Ireland. When she passed away in 2011, her brother Alan was left … Continued
I live in Northern Ireland with my husband and we look after my mother-in-law who is in her 90s. My own parents are in their late 70s/early 80s and live in England. They are on a basic pension, and Mum has recently started having memory problems. My sister Emma has Down Syndrome and lives next … Continued
Join us in celebrating National Siblings Day on 10th April – a global awareness day recognising brothers and sisters! This year our theme is #SiblingStrengths and we spoke to three brilliant siblings who told us more about theirs. What are your #SiblingStrengths? What strengths do you admire in other siblings? Be part of the conversation … Continued
My sister, Mary Kaye, was born with cerebral palsy (CP). She has had a number of other health complications throughout her life which can go a long with CP. I am 70 years old and Mary is 5 years younger than I. Two brothers fill out our family of 4 children. In our family there … Continued
The day my sister was born, I had no idea this tiny baby would become the most important person in the world to me. Nearly four decades later, we are soul mates. As children, we could be silly together but we were too different to enjoy the same things. That all changed when I took … Continued
Living through the pandemic coronacoaster has been even more challenging for those of us who have been shielding to protect clinically vulnerable siblings. My brother Dan has Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities due to a rare genetic condition called ATRX. Our younger brother Sam who had the same condition passed away suddenly from sepsis … Continued
Would you like to help other siblings by sharing your own story? Please get in touch.