Visitors to the “Sarah’s Delicious Imperfectionz” food truck often compliment Tommy and Annette Casey on their impressive help, referring to their daughter. Quick to correct them, the Caseys remind patrons that they are their daughter’s assistants. Despite Sarah being born with Down Syndrome 21 years ago, they emphasise that she heads this sweets venture and it is far from a charity. Sarah’s treats must compete on their own merit; otherwise, clientele may find it sweetly charitable, buy once and never return, explains Tommy.
Two years ago, in July, Sarah started retailing homemade muffins and scones at the Castletroy Farmers’ Market in Co Limerick. Tommy, a marketing and branding professional, named the business to signify that while Sarah’s sweet goods might initially not have been the most aesthetically appealing, they were truly scrumptious. Today, Sarah has become meticulous about the appearance of her baked goods, says her mother.
Sarah’s visibility at the market led to bookings for other events, with Down Syndrome Limerick aiding in the promotion of her business. Tommy emphasises that Sarah is not the offering; she is the business owner. As the food truck became more popular at child-friendly events, popcorn and candyfloss machines were introduced. Sarah then expanded her business by developing her own ice cream, which is very popular, according to her father. She has sold her ice cream at the Ploughing Championships, various smaller events and even outside a local church after two wedding ceremonies.
Sarah’s enterprise has massively bolstered her self-confidence and she now sees herself as a true businesswoman, successfully challenging stereotypes, comments proud dad Tommy.
Born on the 17th of May, 2003, Sarah entered a world where her parents had inevitable preconceived notions about Down syndrome, considering there had been no foreshadowing about her carrying an extra 21st chromosome. In the same maternity hospital where their son, David, was born three years earlier, her parents, Tommy and Annette, held quite similar expectations, but the experience proved to be unusual and unexpected.
A glimpse at the midwife’s expression clued them in that this was not a typical birth. In less than thirty minutes, they found a paediatrician by their side, inundating them with the potential difficulties and pessimistic aspects associated with the condition. However, Annette vividly remembers Tommy reassuring her in the hospital, promising to raise Sarah devoid of any boundaries, in the same way they raised David. His unwavering support in the initial moments offered solace, assisting Annette as she coped with the unexpected strains.
Tommy elaborates that coping with the loss of the baby they expected to have was part of the experience. Such feelings, they can now acknowledge, were genuine and expected. Another challenge they encountered were the well-meaning yet misplaced comforting lines from people who didn’t know how to react – lines likening children with Down syndrome to gifts for the ‘special’, which only added to their distress. As Annette, working as a legal secretary, shared, this was quite prevalent – 21 years ago.
Despite the hurdles, one positive aspect was their connection to a key link worker via an early intervention service under trial by the HSE at the time, who offered formidable support. This resource, Annette says, considerably lightened their load in the initial days.
Sarah was born during a period when societal perceptions towards Down syndrome children were significantly changing. She had the fortunate opportunity to attend the same mainstream school as her older sibling. However, her father, Tommy, recounts their constant struggle to secure additional support, a battle familiar to any parent of a child with special needs. Afterward, Sarah attended Catherine McAuley School in Limerick, which is dedicated to students aged eight to18 with mild to borderline mild learning challenges.
Her mother, Annette, discloses that this brought a different set of challenges. Being separated from her local community, where everybody knew her, was a significant change. Unlike her local community, the city school had students from different regions, making it tough to form and maintain friendships due to its transient nature.
Nevertheless, the school provided excellent resources and turned out a positive experience for Sarah, as Tommy was even invited to join the school’s management board the previous year. At 18, Sarah, like many others in her situation, faced an uncertain future.
She tried a vocational education service, but it wasn’t a good fit. Recognising Sarah’s love for baking, Tommy and Annette arranged for a professional baker to teach her the craft at home over several months. She initially learnt to bake muffins and scones, and eventually, they procured what she fondly dubbed her “bun truck” to start her business.
Ireland, where it’s estimated to have around 7,000 individuals with Down syndrome, lacks a national register for people with the condition. The demand for establishing such a database, similar to the UK’s since the 80s, has been pushed by Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI), which could help with efficient planning and delivery of services.
Previously, post-18 opportunities for Down Syndrome individuals were vague, admits Nichola Aylward, DSI’s CEO. However, nowadays more of them are advancing to tertiary education than before. The DSI’s adult education team provides literacy and work skill programs while their separate employment team intermediates between potential employees and employers.
The prime focus is on identifying the peculiar interests of individuals with Down syndrome, alongside facilitating relevant higher-education courses aimed at improving literacy, personal growth and making people job-ready in a professional environment.
Parallelly, the recruitment team concentrates on identifying prospective employers who’re inclined to provide job opportunities to Down syndrome individuals, bearing in mind the support required to ensure a conducive working sphere for them.
Research conducted by DSI in 2018 revealed a sobering fact: less than 6% of grown-ups having Down syndrome were engaged in salaried work. The DSI work squad has achieved success in securing paid employment for 125 adults and has set a goal of enabling an additional 200 adults to accumulate meaningful work exposure by next year’s end.
Aylward, expressed her delight at the ‘astonishingly warm reception’ from employers, which include heavyweights like Woodies, Ikea, Grafton Barber, Dalata Hotel Group and many more. Apparently, they have commented positively on the impact the new recruit has had on their existing staff.
Aylward believes it’s a mutually beneficial scenario for all involved- the employers often come back to engage with DSI, ready to hire more Down syndrome individuals, particularly those who have numerous sites.
Acknowledging that salaried work may not be an apt fit for every individual within the Down syndrome community, Aylward lays emphasis on how it should be made available as one of the possible choices.
Having been a parent to a Down syndrome child before stepping into her role as the maiden female chief executive at DSI, Aylward considers the overall advancements in the subject matter, encouraging.
Sarah Casey, who despised being gawked at by individuals, particularly other children since she was little, has now begun viewing her childhood bullies from another perspective. “They are my customers,” she comments. Sarah takes pride in listing out an impressive variety of ice-cream flavours, currently part of her offering.
Sarah, with an Instagram following of more than 500 on her business page, confesses her affection for mint, hailing it as her favourite flavour. Operating the popcorn machine independently and watching the steam lift off during busy hours is a task she thoroughly enjoys, says Tommy, sharing a lighthearted moment.
Sarah was initially part of the farmer’s market where her baked goods stood out amidst few competitors, but soon the scene became crowded. Now, she focuses on custom orders of scones and muffins prepared at home. Sarah also expanded into ice-cream making, supplying to nearby individuals and local shops. Tommy is optimistic about the sustainability of this venture, viewing it as an opportunity for Sarah’s friends to join her business if it continues to expand.
Tommy Casey, Sarah’s father, refers to Sarah’s achievements as inspirations for parents reluctant to encourage their children’s independence.
Following Sarah’s birth, Tommy didn’t wish to join any groups initially, seeking solitude in his own personal space. However, he and Annette quickly acknowledged the tremendous support they received from other families and the Down Syndrome Limerick community. Annette appreciates the guidance from parents who’ve walked down the same path, often looking to their wisdom as they’ve lived it.
Sarah has availed many of the DSI’s facilities, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and participated in youth groups. She is currently midway through the Latch On programme, a two-year course focusing on literacy which was founded in Australia. DSI introduced this programme here and it is currently administered by the Education and Training Boards.
Sarah’s business is sponsoring the Tour de Munster, an essential yearly fundraising event for the six DSI branches in Munster, taking place from August 8th-11th. Over 100 cyclists will travel 600 km throughout Munster’s six counties, including Irish racing legend, Sean Kelly. The event generates much-needed funds for DSI as well as other charities. The organizer, Paul Sheridan, initiated the event in 2001 and has been crucial in raising nearly €5 million for charities.
In the Casey family, life with Sarah is viewed as a shared adventure. Tommy fondly reflects on how Sarah unexpectedly suggested going for a surf one day. Acting on her spontaneous idea, he immediately arranged a lesson at Inch, where Sarah’s determination in refusing to give up impressed the instructor. Her mother, Annette, is credited for her resolute nature. Annette, in good humour, accepts this as a critical compliment, noting how Sarah remains unconstrained by perceived limitations.
The Casey family, particularly Tommy, view themselves as merely providing Sarah, who has Down syndrome, with the tools to thrive. Tommy emphasises the need to bolster public understanding of Down syndrome, advocating that people with the condition should be viewed as unique individuals rather than a uniform mass. Sarah represents an ideal spokesperson in Tommy’s opinion, serving as a positive example for perhaps hesitant parents that they can encourage self-sufficiency in their children.