Kyle Chambers and Mobility Assist Dog Rio By Sarah Schaff Imagine a child first learning to walk by following a path of items that steady their stride from Point A to Point B. They rely on a wall, person, or piece of furniture to catch them if they lose their balance. This strategy generally only lasts as long as it takes to develop the strength and stability to independently walk, but the need for help balancing never ended for Kyle Chambers of Roseville, Minnesota. Kyle has adapted to life after being born four months early and with cerebral palsy by …
Mobility Assistance Dog
A Chance Meeting Changes a Life
Sheila Robeck and Mobility Assist Dog Coal By Tammy Waibel Sheila Robeck of St. Michael, Minnesota smiles with delight as she speaks about her Mobility Assist Dog, Coal. While he has only been with her since July, he has made a dramatic impact on her life and her family’s. Sheila, a C5-6 quadriplegic due to an auto accident in 2001, manages life with reduced range of motion in her shoulders and elbows, but very limited hand function. She uses a power wheelchair for mobility as well as adapted silverware, pens and a pointer for computer work but needed something more …
Love at First Woof
Bella and Mobility Assist Dog Blaine By Hanna Kantor Life is full of transitional periods where we watch our lives change. One notable example of this is starting high school. We enter a place where, suddenly, we have more freedom than we once did, but not as much as we would like, and we get thrust into a new social hierarchy that we must learn to navigate. This is the world Bella from Plymouth, Minnesota recently entered. However, Bella has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which can make this transition more challenging. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a disease that makes it difficult …
Improving Mobility with a Little Help from Zane
Cherish Grabau and Mobility Assist Dog Zane By Bobb Elsenpeter Like many people with multiple sclerosis, Cherish Grabau of Stewartville, Minnesota, has trouble getting her muscles to do what she tries telling them. It can be hard for her to walk, pick things up, and even get out of a chair. She has since discovered that with the help of a Mobility Assist Dog, life has gotten so much easier. She learned about the benefits of an assistance dog online, then followed up with her own personal research. “I was in one of my online MS groups and one of …
He Is Her Rock
Angela Otterholt and Mobility Assist Dog Yorick By Joy Miller Angela Otterholt has faced many physical challenges in her life—cerebral palsy, myoclonus, and epilepsy—but in the last 14 months, she has dealt with difficult emotional challenges as well. Her husband Curt died in August of 2016 after suffering an aneurysm and stroke. Then she and her youngest son, Jake, downsized their home and moved to Prior Lake, Minnesota. With Jake soon graduating from high school, her three sons and doctors started discussing what other changes needed to be made to help her navigate life—not only physically, but also emotionally. Enter …
A Gift for Alex
Alex Loehlein and Mobility Assist Dog Yahtzee By Leslie Flowers At first glance, Alex Loehlein of Andover, Minnesota looks like any other 10-year-old boy. Then you notice his gait is slightly different and he can’t walk as far as others his age. These are just a couple symptoms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic condition in which the body lacks dystrophin, a protein that keeps muscle cells intact. All muscles, including the heart, are affected and get weaker over time. Alex’s parents, Jackie and Adam, worry about Alex. When he is fatigued, simply reaching down to retrieve a dropped …
A New Leash on Life
Marty Lukaszewski and Mobility Assistance Dog Laverne By Sarah Lennander Marty Lukaszewski of Blaine, Minnesota, says, “God gave me a talent to teach.” So he took that talent and became a teacher, working at Minnesota Virtual High School. He works from home most of the week, but on the days he’s in the office he turns a lot of heads. His coworkers come running when they see Marty and his 50-pound black Poodle, Laverne. But she’s not there for looks—she’s there to work, just like Marty. As a Mobility Assistance Dog, Laverne plays an important role in Marty’s life, just …
A Diamond in the Ruff
David and Mobility and Seizure Assistance Dog Jewel David and Jewel are a pretty unique team. The first reason is that Jewel is trained in two different assistance dog skills. But this team is unique in a second way—on Thursday, September 14, David and Jewel became the 600th team that Can Do Canines certified! Because of his disability, David needs both mobility and seizure assistance. So in July of 2017 he was matched with Jewel, a Black Labrador Retriever that does both mobility and seizure work. David has neurocognitive issues and peripheral neuropathy. This means he struggles with balance, especially …
Yoda: The Jedi Master of Mobility Assistance
Dianne Ward and Mobility Assistance Dog Yoda By Sarah Lennander In this story, Yoda didn’t become one with the force—he became one with his client, Dianne Ward. In a galaxy not so far away—Shoreview, Minnesota—the two are adjusting to life as a team. In 2006, Dianne developed Guillain-Barre syndrome which left her with residual balance problems and weakness, increasing her risk of falling. Everyday activities that most people don’t think twice about (carrying books up the stairs or turning around to place a cup of coffee on the table) become a potential danger for someone who struggles with balance. Dianne …
These Assistance Dog Skills Run in the Family
Roger Tottingham & Mobility Assistance Dog Whitney Author: Sarah Schaff As a retired Navy veteran residing in Oronoco, Minnesota, Roger Tottingham is no stranger to overcoming challenges and taking care of business as efficiently as possible. However, when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 42 years ago, his lifestyle shifted and he became more reliant on help from others. Roger was able to stay active for a while before needing to use a powerchair, and his wife, Linda, has been a constant, necessary source of his care. Maintaining his independence is one of Linda and Roger’s biggest hopes for the …