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Judy Lundy & Hearing Assist Dog Pepper For 36 years Judy Lundy tried to cope with her hearing loss by using increasingly high-tech hearing aids. When she needed additional assistance her husband Steve kept her in the loop during conversations with others or let her know about the sounds that she missed. “My husband was always my translator and my second set of ears,” Judy says. “When he died eight years ago I lost my hearing for the second time.” Judy did her best to cope after Steve’s death. Living alone she continued to pursue her career as a senior …

Ingrid Hofmann & Mobility Assist Dog Judge Being profoundly deaf and having severe Vestibular Ataxia made living alone both difficult and dangerous for Ingrid Hofmann of St. Paul, Minn. In addition to being unable to hear important sounds, such as a door knock or a fire alarm, the inner ear damage from the ataxia limits Ingrid’s ability to maintain her balance while walking. This has led to frequent falls and subsequent emergency room visits for concussions. Luckily, Can Do Canines partnered Ingrid with a dog that acted as both a Hearing and Mobility Assist Dog! In 2005, Can Do Canines …

Jeannine Friedrich & Hearing Assist Dog Clyde For Jeannine Friedrich of Perham, Minn. living an independent life is not an option—it’s a priority. Jeannine was born with hearing loss, but wasn’t diagnosed until age five because she was able to read lips so well. Doctors prescribed hearing aids, which helped some, but as she got older her hearing continued to deteriorate. Eventually, she moved on to a cochlear implant. As Jeannine continued in her career at a nearby nursing home and as her husband Steve began working nights, she found there were sounds she was missing. Even with the implant, …

Gary Wenisch & Mobility Assist Dog Zazu Gary Wenisch of Minneapolis, Minn. is not one to let his circumstances slow him down. Despite living with quadriplegia and using a wheelchair to get around, Gary is always on the move, visiting local parks, fishing or pursuing his passion for photography. Gary’s van, which is fully equipped including a motorized ramp for his wheelchair, is his vessel to pursue the independent life he envisions. He admits that as he gets older, however, it’s becoming more difficult to perform daily tasks. Gary experienced a spinal cord injury while diving at age 22. A …

Dennis Prothero & Mobility Assist Dog Summer Summer came early this year for Dennis Prothero. In March Dennis officially welcomed Mobility Assist Dog Summer to his home in Stillwater, Minn. Since then, Summer—a two-year-old yellow Labrador retriever—has been a bright spot in Dennis’ life. After a car accident rendered him fully disabled with quadriplegia Dennis retained a personal care attendant (PCA) to assist with basic care at home. However, when the PCA isn’t on hand Dennis struggles with opening doors and retrieving dropped items. “Generally, when you’re in my kind of condition, anything that you drop on the floor—stays on …

Mike Haugen and Diabetes Assist Dog Charlie In the first two months after Diabetes Assist Dog Charlie went to live with Mike Haugen in Mankato, Minn. he saved his life multiple times by alerting Mike to his low blood sugar level. “Charlie is a lifesaver and has made a big difference in my life,” Mike declares. Mike has had type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years; he is unable to work full-time, walks with a cane, and has been hospitalized in the past due to hypoglycemic unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness is a common—and dangerous—condition that can develop in people like …

Stephanie Cardenas & Mobility Assist Dog Rizzo For Stephanie Cardenas of New Brighton, Minn. being independent has always been a priority. Despite being born with spina bifida she has always found ways to live the life she envisioned. Using a wheelchair to get around and receiving some assistance from personal care attendants Stephanie has progressed in life and followed her dreams.  Currently Stephanie is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at Metropolitan State University; living on her own she realized there were a few areas she needed additional help. “I noticed as I started getting older that my balance was a little …

Heather Aanes & Mobility Assist Dog Bert For Heather Aanes of Brainerd, Minn. life is constantly in flux. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her 20’s, new difficulties arise as old challenges recede—only to return again unexpectedly. Despite this recurring pattern, Heather remains optimistic. “I am continually trying to move forward in my life with MS,” Heather says. “I try to make adjustments to continue to be successful. I work, raise two girls and live a very full life.” However, Heather admits that it is not always easy. She has little use of the lower half of her body and …

Megan Schmidt & Hearing Assist Dog Lila No one is quite sure why Megan Schmidt started losing her hearing when she was just three years old. But throughout the years she has managed to find ways to compensate and pursue an independent life. First, her parents got her a hearing aid. As she got older and her hearing loss progressed, she received a cochlear implant. Years later, she received a second implant. These tools are certainly helpful, but they don’t fully remedy her situation. “I now have two cochlear implants, which have done wonders for me,” she wrote in her …