By Beth Billstrom – In 2022, Bethany experienced a horrifying seizure brought on by a stroke. Unbelievably, her then five-year-old daughter was home and knew how to call EMS. Bethany states, “She helped me through until the emergency medical team arrived. I’m so grateful to her, but she’s a child. I needed a different plan.” Although she feels lucky that her husband and daughter are willing to help her, she knows her conditions are stressful for them, too. “They always worry about me,” admits Bethany. “They need to go to work and school, so being left by myself is scary …
Archives for February 2024
We’re Excited to Share Our New TV Commercial
Just when some companies were preparing to air their multi-million-dollar advertisements during the Super Bowl, we were producing a professional TV commercial of our own (though not for the Super Bowl)! During the Fetching Ball program, we previewed the 30-second spot. Check it out here.
Uzi Brings Help and Happiness to Diane’s Life
“Living with chronic pain can be so isolating,” says Diane, who was born with a hip defect and diagnosed with scoliosis in junior high. When she later had children, her pregnancies caused her symptoms to progress, prompting multiple hip surgeries. Now, with rods in her spine and the onset of psoriatic arthritis, she states, “I have a lot of nerve pain that doesn’t go away.” In her mid-40s, she had to quit her job as a hospital lab technician to focus on managing her pain. She began using a cane and despite the medicines she was taking, Diane says that …
Facility Dog Program Becomes Official
At the January board meeting, our Board of Directors voted unanimously to make our Facility Dog pilot program permanent. A facility dog is trained to work at a designated location with a variety of people. Typically, this type of dog is placed in a hospital or a rehab center. Like our other dogs, Facility Dogs are task-trained, but the tasks they perform are done for someone other than their handler. We have placed several certified dogs in facilities over the years, most notably four in each of the last two years, as we explored this approach. We will limit the …
Karen Falls in Love with Mobility Assist Dog Ulla
“I used to fall 2 or 3 times a week,” says Karen, referring to the effects of having her leg amputated below the right knee in 2020. In late 2013, a joint in Karen’s foot collapsed, prompting a series of reconstruction surgeries—several of which were unsuccessful. She then developed type 2 complex regional pain syndrome, a neurological condition associated with intense or prolonged pain. By the time the amputation was necessary, mobility was a real challenge. “I had not walked in six years, Karen explains. “It was like having to learn how to walk again, and now I’m having an …
Join us at a MN Twins game for free!
The Minnesota Twins, who have become a valuable partner with us over the past few years, have offered us 100 free tickets to the Monday, April 22, game against the White Sox. This is also the Twins’ debut of a “Bark at the Park” experience, with game tickets available for dogs. A portion of all ticket sales related to this special promotion are being donated to Can Do Canines! Although all the tickets for pet dogs are already sold out, the first 10 Puppy Program volunteers with a program dog that is at least 18 months old can sign up …
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