My brother suffers from a variety of illnesses but the 2 major ones are epilepsy and Sturge Weber syndrome. This is a large, wine coloured birth mark on large parts of his body. It is not just on the skin but apparently it has also marked parts of his brain which affects his development of motor skills and his ability to learn.

Positive effects? Caring for my brother has kept this family together. Like everyone else, we have our issues but my brother and our love for him really kept us together in the dark times. His condition has allowed me to understand the true meaning of compassion for other people and I sincerely believe it has made me a better person.

Negative? My parents are absolutely the best, most sincere and loving people I have ever known. After years and years of caring for my brother (and raising me) they deserve a break. But they won't really get it because my brother needs more or less constant care. He occupies himself and you can talk with him but he's a 23 year old with the mind of an 8 year old. They deserve the best that this world has to offer but they will be forever attached to my brother. I took a week vacation recently so they could go to Cuba and they were almost in tears and that broke my heart. These people don't deserve such hardships.

It has caused me to seriously evaluate whether or not I will have children; the idea of raising a child with disabilities scares me and I know this is a terrible way to think but I just can't help it sometimes.

We always say as a family that we are lucky; by comparison my brother isn't that handicapped and when you look at some of the other kids with more severe disabilities, I really understand what they mean.