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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ."Skallagrigg" by William Horwood. Totally changed the way I look at people with Cerebral Palsy and Down's Syndrome, and the only book ever to move me to tears (twice!) - I can get quite choked up just thinking about the relevant scenes. It's also the only book I've ever bought in paperback and felt that I had to buy the hardback!
May be a bit hard to find in your local bookshop, but I believe it is still in print (and your local library should have it). Most people who see a synopsis are put off by the subject matter, but I'll give it a go:
Skallagrigg tells two stories. The first is set in the present and follows Esther, whose body is crippled by cerebral palsy, but whose mind is incredibly sharp - even brilliant. Throughout her life in various institutions she has heard stories of the mythical "Skallagrigg", a benevolent god/being who helps those who cannot help themselves, and she determines to find out the truth behind the legend.
The second story starts in the late twenties and tells of Arthur, who is ripped from his family as a child and incarcerated in a harsh "hospital". Subject to hate and abuse, he tells his fellow patients that there is someone who can help them all - the Skallagrigg.