Sarah’s Story

By: Stephanie Jelenic-Deb

Sarah Marie Dean was born on December 17th, 1999 in Cleveland, Ohio to
Dealitte Ringholz and Giovanni Dean. When Dealitte was pregnant with
Sarah the doctor’s had unfortunate news for the parents to be that Sarah
would be born with Amniotic Band Syndrome. “When we found out
through the ultrasound, we really didn’t believe it at first. We thought it
was just an error, until she was born and that’s when it hit us, it was real,”
says Dealitte.

Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS) is a set of
birth defects that is believed to be caused by the
entrapment of fetal parts in fibrous amniotic
bands while in utero. In other words, before the
baby is born the body parts that show signs of
ABS (arm, fingers, toes, etc.,) are caught up and
entangled in string-like bands.  ABS left Sarah
with deformities of her hands, a cleft lip and
palate, Gastroschisis (which is when the bowels are on the outside), and no
limbs from the knees down. She uses Prosthetic legs made especially for her.

Many people would feel sorry for eight-year-old Sarah, but those who know
her, know that there is nothing to feel sorry about. She is in the first grade
at Sunbeam Elementary school and receives all E’ s (Excellent) and G’s
(Good) on her report cards. She gets perfect attendance every week and she
also receives Honor Roll, Citizenship awards, and Merit Roll. “Sarah is very
independent, ” says Dealitte “and she has many friends.”

Sarah has two sisters, Haley Kim (age
12) and Faith Madison (age 5), and one
brother, Giovanni Louis Jr. (age 2). Her
sisters both say that she is just like
everyone else, despite her disabilities.
“I love to play Barbie’s with Sarah” says
Faith “and me and Sarah are reading a
book together called How to be Cool in
the Third Grade, so that when she gets
into third grade she can know how to
be really cool.” Sarah’s oldest sister
Haley loves to play pretend house with
her and she wants everyone to know “Sarah
can do everything that anyone else can do.”

Sarah’s favorite subject in school is reading and she loves to sing. When she
grows up she wants to be a veterinarian, her favorite animal is a cat. She can
also do excellent handstands, which she is very proud of. Sarah wants girls
to know that “you can be anything you want to be in the world, no matter
what.”

“I know she will face some problems in life”, says Dealitte, but I also know
that she will do great in life. Sarah is the way she is because God wanted her
this way. She is special in her own way” Sarah is truly a remarkable girl and
an inspiration to girls everywhere.