Feature Stories

Voncille Martin & Mobility Assist Dog Doc Voncille Martin of Rochester, Minn. would like Can Do Canines to know that, “Without your care and your time and your desire to help someone else, I would be in an assisted living facility.” Voncille shared her life with Mobility Assist Dog Bauer for 11 years. Bauer made independent living possible for Voncille. She struggles with multiple mobility limitations such as severe vestibular imbalance, fibromyalgia and neuropathy of the hands. Additionally, Bauer provided the support and security Voncille needed to cope with other health issues such as obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, and primary …

Linda LaReau & Mobility Assist Dog Piper How can you put a price on the ability to live independently? What is the true value of feeling secure in your own home, especially if you have mobility limitations? For Linda LaReau of Circle Pines, Minn., the answers to these questions arrive daily. Despite a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her lower body Linda works at a retail store and enjoys a variety of activities—especially biking and downhill skiing. Linda, the mother of three grown children, deserves most of the credit for leading an active, fulfilling life and making the most of …

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 …