Michael Powell and Mobility Assist Dog Zelda By Bill Johnson As a bus driver for Metro Transit and later for Greyhound, Michael Powell experienced the allure of the open road. But seven years ago, his driving career came to a screeching halt when he suffered an on-the-job back injury. Severe back pain, exacerbated by peripheral neuropathy, made it impossible to continue commercial driving. Although he can’t log the miles like he used to, the New Brighton, Minnesota, resident definitely doesn’t sit still, thanks in large part to Zelda, his Can Do Canines Mobility Assist Dog. With Zelda by his side, …
Graduation
The Biggest Love Bug in the World
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 …
A Bright and Independent Future
Alex Cracraft and Autism Assist Dog Comet By Joy Miller For eight years, Alex Cracraft of Fridley, Minnesota, and his Autism Assist Dog, Windy were an awe-inspiring team everywhere they went. With Windy’s love and support, Alex has become more confident and independent—an outcome which has thrilled his parents, Rich and Laura. Alex and Windy teamed up after the Cracraft family learned about Can Do Canines at an Autism Society Skills session. Alex was eight years old and in second grade. Now a junior in high school, Windy gratefully retired from active partnering with Alex in December of 2016. At …
This Winter Will Melt Your Heart
Jo Smith and Mobility Assist Dog Winter By Emma Hage Jo Smith of Cross Lake, Minnesota has mobility issues as a result of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a heritable peripheral nerve disorder. She began to see her dexterity, balance, and ambulation decline, needing to wear braces on her legs for extra support. Getting around became a challenge. So when Jo realized that an assistance dog could be the help she needed, she reached out to Can Do Canines. Her pet dog had passed away recently, and Jo was excited about the possibility that a new dog could provide her with companionship …
Focused on Each Other
Logan and Autism Assist Dog Gypsy By Susan Byers A free-spirit. A rover. A wanderer. These are apt descriptors for a rescue dog, particularly one named Gypsy. And in some ways, it’s a fitting depiction of a young boy named Logan from Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, with a tendency to wander. This is the story of how these two kindred souls found each other. A rescue organization in northern Minnesota discovered Gypsy, a female German Shepherd mix. From the beginning, it was evident she was smart and responsive with a loving disposition—all qualities of an excellent assistance dog—so the organization …
The Help She Needed
Laurie Tschida and Mobility Assist Dog Tikki Laurie Tschida lives in a quiet neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, Jim. After losing their Terrier, Lucy, things seemed even quieter. But now the house is much livelier with the addition of Tikki, Laurie’s Mobility Assist Dog. “When we were first learning brace, I really needed help getting off the kitchen floor, and when [Tikki] did it for me I just started bawling,” Laurie says. “That just was everything to me … Then I knew that this was going to be right—that she was going to be the help I …
A Bridge to a World Full of Sound
Bob Reynolds & Hearing Assist Dog Sophia By Patti Miller Life is full of sounds. Sounds alert us to fires, phone calls, visitors, text messages, emergency vehicles, severe weather, and so much more. Sounds of laughter, birds chirping, babies crying, dogs barking or tires screeching can be more than just sounds. If your world had limited sound, how would you cope? An accident left Bob Reynolds of Hudson, Wisconsin with a baseline skull fracture at age 25. He immediately lost all hearing in his left ear while hearing in his right ear was compromised. The doctors’ concerns that Bob would …
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 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 …