Archives for October 2015

Alan Burggraf & Diabetes Assist Dog Oz “Diabetes runs through my family,” Alan Burggraf explains. “My grandmother had it—even my first cousin had it.” So when Alan of Coon Rapids, Minn. was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 14, it didn’t come as a big surprise. He says his parents could even tell he had the disease before he went to the doctor. But the last 44 years with the disease have taken its toll. Alan has developed diabetic neuropathy in his hands and is now unable to work.  “It gets worse every year,” Alan says. “My blood sugar …

Sarah Lawrence & Diabetes Assist Dog Lucy Imagine not being able to identify when you need medication to keep you from getting sick. How would you cope? Would your family worry about your welfare if they couldn’t be close? Likely you would struggle to maintain your independence and your family would be continually concerned about your wellbeing. This was the situation facing Sarah Lawrence of Viroqua, Wis. Sarah works at a local nursing home as a Certified Nursing Assistant. A vibrant young woman, she has type 1 diabetes and hypoglycemic unawareness. People like Sarah oftentimes no longer experience the warning …

Lawrence Endres & Mobility Assist Dog Sierra When Lawrence Endres began the application process with Can Do Canines for an assistance dog, he didn’t realize he would wait nearly two years to be partnered with Sierra. He so excited about the prospect, as his wife Joleen testifies, that he would call for a status update every month. Lawrence’s excitement began when he personally witnessed how amazing a Can Do Canine can be. One day at the West St. Paul Library he saw a gentleman with an assistance dog in tow and was compelled to ask for more information. The man …

Ethan Schmidt & Autism Assist Dog Noble Amy Schmidt vividly remembers trying to run a quick errand at Target with her elementary-age son Ethan. Ethan was content in the car as they were moving, but the moment she parked, and Ethan had a chance to see where they were, he began kicking and screaming and having a meltdown. When Ethan becomes frustrated, he lashes out, hitting and biting himself and others. He has difficulty transitioning from place to place and his interactions with people—especially in public places—creates a lot of stress. “For a few years, I couldn’t even take him …