Luci Camorani and Mobility Assist Dog Maggie By Amy Verrando As a sophomore at the University of Minnesota (U of M), Luci Camorani leads the typically hectic life of a busy college student. Majoring in genetics, cell biology, and development, Luci has to juggle a challenging course load while also dealing with the difficulties of living with both Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). EDS and POTS cause Luci to have trouble regulating her blood pressure, specifically when standing up or bending over, which can cause her to become lightheaded and dizzy, resulting in a fall. “Standing up …
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MS Cannot Stop Meta
Meta Mickelson and Mobility Assist Dog Willa By Bill Johnson Physical activity and a busy schedule have always come naturally to Meta Mickelson of Stanchfield, Minnesota. A horse lover and owner, she frequently attends races at Canterbury Downs and Running Aces, as well as horse shows. Other pastimes include road trips (the Great Smoky Mountains last spring) and outings to the drive-in theater in Lake Elmo. Recently, she bought a boat and looks forward to many fishing excursions. Learning about Meta’s on-the-go lifestyle, a person might have a hard time believing she has primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease …
Their Training Never Ends
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 …
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 …
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 Life Less Lonely
Connie Hanson and Mobility Assist Dog Trek By Kaity Padden Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a life-changing disease. It damages the protective covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and can greatly disrupt someone’s physical and cognitive abilities. It’s a disease that presents itself unexpectedly, showing different symptoms in each person it affects. However, Connie Hanson’s experience with MS has been made better by the companionship of a new assistance dog. A longtime resident of Richfield, Minnesota, Connie was working as a waitress when she was diagnosed with MS in 1999. Prior to her diagnosis, she had full …
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 Four-Legged Support System
Kathy Ferrara & Mobility Assistance Dog Harvey Author: Sarah Schaff It takes a remarkable canine to be an assistance dog and an exceptional person to be a special education teacher, so one can only imagine what’s possible when the two forces combine! This is the story of Kathy Ferrara of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and her mobility assistance dog, Harvey, who are happily thriving in their new partnership. During a regular checkup in 2011, a doctor noticed something wrong with Kathy’s eye response. After further testing, she was officially diagnosed with ataxic cerebral palsy caused by fetal alcohol syndrome. She now …
La Crosse Tribune | Can Do Canines Pairs Puppies with Prisoners
Emily Pyrek – May 28, 2017 (La Crosse Tribune) – Twenty-five inmates sat rapt at the edge of their seats as 10 rambunctious puppies came bounding into the Jackson Correctional Institute visitors room. Faces breaking into grins, the men reached out to greet the plucky pups who would be both their pupils and pals for the next year. The canine/prisoner partnership, a first for the medium-security Jackson Correctional Institute, was arranged through Can Do Canines, a New Hope, Minn., based nonprofit that trains dogs of all breeds and sizes to help people with mobility challenges, hearing loss, diabetes, childhood autism …