Thomas Powers and Mobility Assistance Dog Dryden Author: Caty Taborda-Whitt If you glanced at Thomas (Tom) Powers’ busy schedule, you may never guess he has anything potentially slowing him down. A teacher at an elementary school for the Anoka-Hennepin School district, Tom is also an active leader in the teachers’ union, sings in a choir, and plays in a golf league. Yet over 23 years ago, Tom, of Coon Rapids, was in a car accident that caused a bone spur to his spinal cord resulting in a contusion at the C3-4 vertebrae. This left him as an incomplete quadriplegic with …
Labrador
A Balancing Act
Greg Waibel and Mobility Assistance Dog Victor Author: Amy Verrando For former Marine Greg Waibel of Ramsey, Minn., the last seven years have been a blur of hospital visits. Greg suffers from peripheral artery disease, and about seven years ago, due to multiple blood clots, his right leg was amputated just above the knee. Because the clots were discovered late, Greg was very ill at the time he was rushed to the hospital. “I don’t remember being sick, I don’t remember being taken to the Emergency Room, I don’t remember the surgery.” Throughout the ordeal, Greg’s wife, Karen, and daughter, …
Boosting Stamina with Vinnie
Kerry Houts & Mobility Assist Dog Vinnie By: Jake Grossman Before getting in touch with Can Do Canines, Kerry Houts never dreamed that an assistance dog might help her lead a comfortable and healthy life. “When I was growing up,” she said, “A service dog was only for people with visual impairments. Kerry has lived with cerebral palsy since birth. The neurological condition impairs her balance and she often uses a cane or walking stick to get around. With age and the onset of arthritis, falls became more common for Kerry, who realized that she could use some extra …
Kati’s New Downward Dog
Kati Hammar & Mobility Assist Dog Vegas By: Emma Hage Several months ago, Kati Hammar of Plymouth, Minn. was struggling with everyday activities. Her disabilities have made it difficult to walk long distances, so she often requires a wheelchair or crutches. Household chores are strenuous, and participating in her hobbies can be exhausting. Fibromyalgia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and a combination of other chronic diseases have made daily life uncomfortable for the 28-year-old artist. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a collection of heritable connective tissue disorders that can lead to multi-systemic symptoms. Kati experiences persistent pain and is unable to move easily, which …
Wynning Hope
Roger Tottingham & Mobility Assistance Dog Wynn Roger Tottingham, a retired Navy veteran lives in Oronoco, Minn. with his wife Linda. Roger has had multiple sclerosis for 42 years and he uses an electric wheelchair as a tool for mobility. Keeping his independence is one of Roger’s biggest hopes and one of the very reasons why he decided to apply for an assistance dog from Can Do Canines. Beautiful, loyal, well-mannered and energetic are a few words that describe Wynn, Roger’s two-year-old black Labrador. She was placed with Roger as his Mobility Assist Dog and she’s known at Can Do …