By Debbie Surman
Many of us enjoy a good mystery, but sometimes that mystery can become a life-changing event leading us in a direction we never thought possible. Not long ago, Ema experienced one such conundrum that would have her feeling like her life would never be the same.
Ema is a graduate school student, single mom, homeowner, soccer player, artist, and founding board member of an organization focused on empowering women and non-binary individuals through woodworking. For reasons unknown, she had an attack in 2021 that brought to light some underlying symptoms of vestibulopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, and foraminal stenosis—conditions that affect her balance. This means she has difficulty walking without aides and has a high risk of falling. She also becomes quickly fatigued, causing her vision to go and her cognitive function to decline. In an instant, Ema can go from feeling like she can do anything to feeling as though she could do almost none of the things that were so important to her. She can no longer walk on her own, let alone play soccer or do activities that many of us take for granted, such as cleaning our homes, shopping for our families, going to work for more than a few hours, watching TV, or even attending family functions. For all intents and purposes, Ema had become a prisoner in her own home. Her attempts to ensure her safety meant avoiding leaving the house altogether. She began working remotely, doing her shopping online, and when she needed to leave the house, she had to rely on aides or her family for assistance.
Ema wanted to regain some semblance of her independent life, so she began researching “just to see if there was a potential for help with a service dog.” She found Can Do Canines and wondered if one of their amazing dogs would be able to help her navigate her “new normal.” She wondered about the added responsibility and whether a service dog would be compatible with her three beloved felines.
Meeting Mobility Assist Dog Molly for the first time “was honestly a little surreal,” says Ema. “I wasn’t sure how to take it all in at first. She was so sweet and attentive!” She adds that bringing Molly home felt natural. “She fits right in. I felt confident going out of the house and like I didn’t have to stay home for fear of getting around or not being able to navigate a space on my own.”
Molly doesn’t need much space of her own, being a bit petite for a Lab. Ema says, “People often think she is still a puppy.” Yet, she insists Molly is the perfect size not only for her but also for her small house filled with animals.
When asked about the training process, Ema admits that the hardest part was “training myself!” However, she explains, “My trainers were SO helpful and really were supportive of me learning all the best ways to approach training. The biggest challenge for me was to be very direct and not use a whole narrative when asking Molly to do something for me.” On the flip side, the easiest and most fun part for Ema was seeing Molly’s enthusiasm to help and learning early on that she and Molly had found a rhythm in their approach.
Molly is there to pick things up for her, leaving Ema with more energy to face the rest of her day. Ema still works from home, but Molly has afforded her the motivation to go on lunchtime walks and get out more, rather than staying confined in the house. Additionally, Ema can count on Molly for help with chores, instead of having to ask her family.
Ema told us that she had a difficult medical appointment recently. She shares, “Molly was the only thing that kept me grounded and calmed me down. It made the difference between an ER visit and me being able to drive myself home from the clinic.” She states, “It was a profound realization that [Molly] provides so much more than just picking things up for me.”
Ema knows that her conditions will never go away, but Molly has given her much of her life back. She can now attend family functions or simply do things on her own without fear.
As for Can Do Canines, Ema feels, “It is a truly exceptional and profoundly selfless service. The impact of the work that everyone does is immeasurable. It has inspired me in ways I never would have thought of before learning about Can Do [Canines]. I can only hope to show my gratitude by being an enthusiastic ambassador and life-long supporter of the organization.”
Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:
Puppy Raiser — The Cosgrove Family
Special Thanks — Lisa Rothschild
Name-A-Puppy Donor — UBS
Facility Dog Clayton Works to Keep the Stress at Bay
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