Twenty-year-old Nick was born with cerebral palsy and has a string of fused vertebrae. But with the use of a power wheelchair, he still likes to spend his days out on the town. His limited mobility used to make those instances rather scary. His mom, Lisa, explains, “If he is in his power wheelchair and out in the community when he would drop something, he does not have the ability to pick it up.” It was not uncommon for Nick to drop his cell phone, and not being able to retrieve it, would have to come home to get Lisa …
Feature Stories
Katie and Lilah: From Fear to Freedom
By Alyssa Jackson – Katie’s first impression of her new Mobility Assist Dog, Lilah, was “a sweetheart.” Both Katie and Lilah were full of excitement to finally start working together. Katie says, “It was such a fun experience seeing … how willing she was to help me.” Lilah is a black Labrador Retriever with large ears and big puppy eyes. Katie enjoyed seeing clever Lilah respond to her commands as they trained together, and she was impressed by how quickly Lilah learned exactly what she needed. Katie lives with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease that causes progressive weakness …
Steve is Thrilled he Took Steps to get a Mobility Assist Dog
By Jessica Kellogg – When Steve describes his Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptoms, he says it’s as if your feet just get stuck, frozen in place. Leading to his 2022 diagnosis, Steve saw PD affect his fine motor movements, gait and balance, and stamina. “I was getting more clumsy and awkward; I was suddenly having tremors all the time.” As his symptoms increased, Steve found himself becoming more and more isolated. “I found myself slowly opting out of plans, just declining to do things socially that I just knew would wear me out.” He knew that remaining active was vital to …
Three Months of Forever: The Life-Changing Bond Between Abigail and Ohana
By Hasini Guntipalli – Was it really only three months? Because it felt like forever. Mobility Assist Dog Ohana moved into Abigail’s home just three short months ago. However, “It already feels like she’s been here forever, and we’ve just always been doing our thing,” Abigail shares, reflecting on the short yet profound time they’ve spent together so far. Before Ohana, “A typical day was filled with pain,” she recalls. “Getting ready, opening the bedroom door, making breakfast, getting coffee, leaving for work—everyday tasks were hard and painful and just would make you not really want to get out of …
Autism Assist Dog Has Brought Confidence and Calm Over the Years
Logan and Gypsy in 2017 It was half his lifetime ago when Logan was paired with Autism Assist Dog Gypsy. Now a 14-year-old eighth grader, Logan was only days away from his seventh birthday when he certified with the black and tan German Shepherd mix dog that Can Do Canines rescued. As Logan’s dad, Aaron, explains, “It’s been amazing for these seven years to watch their relationship grow and change.” He adds, “She quickly caught on to the nuances of Logan. It was like she seamlessly just kind of knew what it was that he needed, and yeah, it’s been …
Jill’s Reprioritization Worked in Our Favor
In recognizing the contributions that Jill Wisdorf has made to Can Do Canines over the past nine years, we might need to actually thank her son. Jill says, “Originally, I did not want to volunteer! In 2014, my son was a junior in high school and wanted to raise a puppy. I wanted new carpet! I didn’t think the two went together. My son signed us up to attend a Tails to Tell presentation. Learning about Can Do Canines and the impact of the organization on both the clients and volunteers had my family and me hooked. We welcomed the …
First Assistance Dog Makes Second One an “Easy Decision”
Get up in the morning. Eat breakfast. Watch TV. Eat lunch. Watch TV. Eat dinner. Watch TV. Go to bed. This routine describes a typical day for Chris before he got a Can Do Canines assistance dog. Born with quad spastic cerebral palsy, which affects his ability to walk, Chris uses a power wheelchair and says, “I can’t just bend over to pick something up.” And having to pick up items is a common occurrence for Chris, who regularly drops items, due to his condition. “It affects my hand movements and the ability to open doors.” He admits that he …
Leah and Auggie Share Unbreakable Bond
Twelve-year-old Leah recently had a major back surgery, fusing nine of her vertebrae with a rod in her spinal column. Fused by her side during recovery has been her new Mobility Assist Dog, Auggie. Leah has spina bifida and is paralyzed from the hips down. While she and her parents, Ty and Jen, have managed well over the years, helping with morning routines has become more difficult for them as she has grown. When Can Do Canines presented at their church in 2023, they were intrigued. Ty says that learning more about the organization, “ended up with us seeing the …
Loving the Dogs While Loving Her Job
In 2012, when Stacy Sheldon-Wilkinson was hired as a part-time staff member, she was one of only a handful of part-time kennel staff members caring for eight dogs in the Can Do Canines kennel. Since then, the kennel, where our program dogs reside in their final few months before being placed with a client, has grown to host approximately 30 dogs at a time, with about a dozen full-time and part-time staff members sharing duties. Soon after starting with us, Stacy began writing protocols for kennel responsibilities, and she earned the role as our first Kennel Manager. Interested in and …
Walking Clients Through the Loss of Their Dog
Anyone who has lost a pet knows that it can feel devastating. The compounding aspect of that animal being one that serves to provide independence and other necessary life skills can be that much worse. Karen and Ben, her career-changed Can Do Canine, offer smiles for the camera. For Can Do Canine graduates who experience the death or retirement of an assistance dog, volunteer Karen Kodzik is there to help. Karen began her relationship with Can Do Canines about eight years ago, hosting dogs and helping at various events. “As my schedule shifted, I could do fostering less and less,” …
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