Service Dogs for People Living with Paralysis
25 Aug 2009
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation has kicked off a donation campaign.
The foundation tells the story of Rosie and her canine assistant Cruiser.
Cruiser is a 4 1/2-year-old specially trained Labrador Retriever who has helped Rosie regain her independence after a spinal cord injury turned her life upside down. Supporting innovative programs, like the one that trained Cruiser for Rosie, is one of the many ways the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation helps people living with paralysis regain mobility and lead active independent lives.
Living with a spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis, Rosie feels safest when Cruiser is by her side. “He knows where all my neighbors live. Because he’s with me constantly, he has become so alert to me and my needs. It’s like having my soulmate around.”
When Rosie tells Cruiser to “give” at the grocery store, he’ll pick up her wallet and “hand” it to the cashier with his mouth. Or if she needs a drink, he can get her a soda out of the refrigerator. “I love to play Bingo,” she adds. “Cruiser carries my bingo bag for me, then goes and gets treats from all the other ladies, then comes and lays down right under me. We have a lot of good laughs!”
Service dogs like Cruiser can transform the lives of people living with spinal cord injury. They pick up items that have been dropped on the floor, turn on or off lights, make emergency telephone calls, and even pull wheelchairs. But they are much more than a safety net. Dogs like Cruiser quickly become their owners’ companions and their friends. They open new doors — literally and figuratively. When people like Rosie have a service dog with them, it’s a whole lot easier to make new friends.
The service dog program was started to help solve mobility issues, but it has had the added benefit of helping those with spinal cord injuries rebuild social and emotional connections which are critical parts of the healing process. Service dog user Ann Hamachek explains, “I’m not just the girl in the wheelchair, I’m the girl with the cool dog who also happens to use a wheelchair.”
To find out more about the foundation check out their website: Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
Leave a reply