Jenna grew up with an older sister with a disability called Cri du Chat Syndrome. Jenna’s family learned about Erin’s disability when the hospital ran tests after she was born. “Having her...
![“My sister has a genetic disability called Cri Du Chat Syndrome. She doesn't have a full chromosome like most people do. [This] can affect physical appearance. It took her up to seven years to learn how to walk, and she doesn't talk. She communicates a bit with sign language, but most of her signs are just made up. She's my oldest sister, so since I was born I've always grown up with a sister who had a disability and needed extra support. Having her as my sister made me mature faster and made me realize at a really young age, “oh, she's not like other people.” [Having her as a sister has also] helped me realize there are a lot of different people in the world and that not everyone's the same. Everyone is at different spots in life.”
—Jenna Eickmeier, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image2-4-e1652130195948-900x634.jpg)