Freeing Teresa

A True Story about My Sister and Me — by Franke James

#teresaheartchild

Teresa Goes to the Dentist

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Why a dental clinic for people with disabilities is so essential

Teresa Heartchild waits for her order at a busy restaurant

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️ A shoutout to all the #siblings, #caregivers and helpers out there! For most people, going to the dentist is not something we do for fun. My sister Teresa Heartchild feels the same way. Since I jumped into the role of a caregiver (over ten years ago) I’ve helped my sister go to the dentist many times. It always presents a whole bunch of challenges. Some of them can be met by explaining (in advance) why the visit is necessary, lots of good humour, and promising (edible) rewards! But convincing her also requires going to the right place. In Teresa’s case, that’s a dental clinic for people with disabilities. My story, “Teresa Goes to the Dentist,” is about our recent trip for a routine checkup.

Most dentists don’t have the patience for patients like Teresa

Experience taught us that it was necessary for Teresa to go to a specialized dental clinic. We found that most regular dentists don’t have the patience for patients like her! They’re on a strict time-clock and Teresa doesn’t abide by one. She demands a lot more time.

That’s because many little things are required to make Teresa comfortable and cooperative. (She’s even more wary of dentists since she had an infected tooth extracted last summer that required a hospital stay. Ouch!)

When we arrived for her routine visit, the hygienist explained to Teresa how she was going to clean her teeth. Then she patiently explained again—because repetition is often needed especially when it’s news Teresa doesn’t like. She got Teresa seated comfortably in the reclining dental chair. She let Teresa feel the bristles of the toothbrush with her fingers. Next she gave Teresa a hand mirror to watch what was happening. Teresa was relaxed throughout the whole tooth cleaning procedure. Then the dentist came in, peered at Teresa through dental loupes and gave Teresa the A-OK. Asked where she was going next, Teresa said happily, “The Flying Pig!”

So the cake helped, too!

Music by Kidcut
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Teresa Heartchild’s Art for World Down Syndrome Day

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Teresa is a Vancouver-based artist with Down syndrome. She is smiling and holding up her design for DSBC’s World Down Syndrome Day T-shirt.

Teresa‘s art for World Down Syndrome Day is loaded with symbolic meaning. She drew a happy figure standing on top of a world that’s filled with a red heart. The figure is full of joy, wearing a hat with edges that fly upwards.

World Down Syndrome Day has taken place each year on March 21 since 2007. Down Syndrome International says that the 21st day of March was chosen “to signify the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.” Wow! The United Nations has observed WDSD each year since 2012, which seems like a rather recent acknowledgement that people with Down syndrome should be celebrated and included everywhere.

Check out the animation below, which shows that Teresa’s artwork is even cuter in real life:

And Down Syndrome BC loved Teresa’s design!

“In honour of World Down Syndrome Day 2024, DSBC is thrilled to partner with Teresa Heartchild, a local artist with Down syndrome, to create a beautiful limited-edition T-shirt featuring Teresa’s beautiful artwork! Order yours today and celebrate World Down Syndrome Day with us!”

Order your T-shirt at the DownSyndromeBC Shop!

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Teresa Heartchild is an artist, author, and self advocate with Down syndrome who makes colourful drawings and self-talk poetry to express her thoughts and feelings. She has published two books and exhibited her artwork in Vancouver, Boston and Mexico. In 2019, the BC Human Rights Commissioner named her a Champion for Change. Teresa is a contributor to the book “Freeing Teresa: A True Story about my Sister and Me”published in 2023.