by Sonya Padgett from The San Francisco Chronicle:
The way Michelle Desrochers looks at her boyfriend and then places her hand in his, you can tell she adores him.
He understands her, Desrochers, 24, says of Carlos Sierra. He treats her with respect and kindness, opens doors for her and even finishes her sentences.
They are wildly in love. They plan to marry. First, though, they must both complete couples counseling and life skills training, which will teach them how to be in a relationship and how to live independently.
Sierra, 29, and Desrochers have Down syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome.
Those born with the syndrome experience mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and delayed physical development. Many suffer from heart problems and other health conditions that can shorten their life expectancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 6,000 babies in the U.S. are born every year with the condition.
March 21 was World Down Syndrome Day, observed to help raise awareness of people with Down syndrome and the challenges they face, including a society that may not realize they are people who have hopes, dreams and desires.
If there is one thing Desrochers' mother, Barbara, would want people to know, it's that those with Down syndrome are capable of many things. They can live full, happy lives and even have successful relationships.
Her daughter and Sierra are good examples of that.
