Among the many life lessons to live by from Star Wars, we can understand that fate never tells us the odds, and it’s up to us to fulfill our destiny. A special dog is helping one man better understand these messages. When Army veteran and avid runner Rich suddenly lost almost half of his mobility function, he became twice as dependent on help from others. While remodeling his Coon Rapids home in 2011, Rich fell off the roof and suffered a massive stroke. This caused extremely limited use of his right side, as well as aphasia and ataxia that affects …
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Roni and Mobility Assist Dog Eunice Form Complete Friendship
The best of friends often get to a point of being able to complete each others’ sentences. In a way, that practice is something Roni and Mobility Assist Dog Eunice have accomplished in just a matter of weeks. Recently, Roni dropped a bottle of conditioner on the floor and explains, “I started saying the command, and Eunice already had [the bottle] in my hand.” This way of reading Roni’s mind shows just how eager to please the smart, black Labrador Retriever is. In fact, Eunice is so excited to work that the team is practicing patience so that Eunice doesn’t …
An Assistance Dog Brings Life-Changing Surprises
Growing up with a disability means only knowing a life of adaptations. This can make it challenging to see the need for additional help. Callie had a stroke as a newborn baby, leaving her with left-sided hemiparesis. She has very limited use of her left arm and leg, along with some other physical challenges. She also started having seizures when she was 18, and while medication has helped manage them, she still experiences a petit mal seizure every few weeks. Callie enjoys dance classes, working at a local fast-food restaurant, and has been envisioning moving into her own home. Even …
Jeff Johnson Named Next Executive Director
Can Do Canines, a nationally recognized leader in the placement of assistance dogs for people with disabilities, has selected Jeff Johnson as the new Executive Director. Johnson will begin at Can Do Canines in December. Johnson comes to Can Do Canines from his role on the Board of Hennepin County Commissioners where he has served since 2009. Supporting people across the state of Minnesota through both elected office and volunteerism is a passion for Johnson. He has held numerous civic leadership positions at organizations including Northwest Twin Cities Young Life, Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, and Governor’s Workforce Development …
Assistance Dog Transforms a Quiet World
Jessica was born deaf in her right ear and started losing hearing in her left ear at age 9. A hearing aid helped for many years, but in 2012, she completely lost her remaining hearing. Jessica found success with a cochlear implant (CI), which is still not the miracle solution it can seem to be. She wears a cochlear implant mostly to help communicate with people, but she still misses a lot of important sounds. Without any hearing on her right side and the inability to determine the source or direction of sounds, she’s had severe concerns about staying safe. …
New Companion Paves a Smoother Path
As a bright, energetic young girl with autism, Ava thrives on structure and routine. She struggles to cope with sensory issues and transitions, and being overwhelmed sometimes leads to meltdowns. Since being diagnosed with autism when she was about 3 years old, Ava has been using multiple techniques and resources to help her handle emotions. Despite many efforts, she still experiences angry outbursts, anxiety, and stimming behaviors. Ava’s family limited activities to try to prevent emotional reactions. Ava’s mother, Diane, saw a story on the news about Can Do Canines, and the very next day, a co-worker encouraged her to …
Assistance Dog Brings Partner New Health and Happiness
As a young adult in his 20s, Joshua never expected a neurological disorder to slow down his trek through life. After he started experiencing symptoms of his feet going numb, he was eventually diagnosed with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. This affects him primarily being unable to control his balance, but also causes chronic pain in his legs, which is expected to worsen over time. Loss of reflexes in his knees has forced Joshua to use a cane, walker, and a scooter to get around. He struggled with not being able to work anymore and adjusting to life with a disability. A …
Life for a Working Dog
Sheila’s life was full of hard work while she was raising a family. It became even harder work once her health started declining. She battled cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, an adult-onset curvature in her spine, and epilepsy, along with chronic pain and loss of bone density. Each diagnosis and battle left her abilities and freedom limited. Through it all, Sheila continued seeking treatments and options to help her continue to live a fulfilling life. Her first assistance dog helped her recognize what a difference an assistance dog could make in her well-being and independence. Sadly, her first assistance dog passed away, …
A Dog for When She’s (Not) Feeling Low
It’s a challenge to keep up with Halle when she’s out running in the Milwaukee, WI, area, but what people can’t see is that she’s trying to keep up with herself. Halle has been managing Type 1 diabetes for 23 years, after being diagnosed at just 4 years old. She learned to take care of herself very early on, but with Type 1 diabetes, a person can do everything in their power to control their glucose levels and still experience moments where they rise or fall out of a target range. Halle has dealt with hypoglycemic episodes when her blood …
An Added Peace to a Challenging Situation
Disabilities are limiting in many physical aspects, and can also take a huge toll on a person’s mental well-being. Brianna has lived with cerebral palsy for all of her life and has learned to gracefully accept the challenges it brings, including being unable to maintain many motor skills. However, a complication from a surgery resulted in chronic pain and additional challenges for her. Basic tasks and daily activities became increasingly difficult. Brianna is able to use a manual wheelchair for longer distances and sometimes in the home, a scooter out in the community, or a walker for shorter distances. Family, …
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