Assistance dog for two boys with life limiting genetic condition has had life changing impact
Another inspiring story from one of our favourite charities. Please give it a read, such a wonderful organisation.
Anna and Owen Rogers sons aged 13 and 9 have rare genetic muscle disorder - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Her eldest son Ben was matched with assistance dog, called Sadie, two years ago
• The assistance dog was initially introduced to help Ben but now she also helps his brother
• Sadie fetches their shoes, picks things up off the floor and pulls off items of clothing
• Ben used to feel self-conscious when he was out in his wheelchair but now the attention is all on Sadie
The mum of two boys who have a rare genetic muscle disorder has spoken about the life-changing impact that their assistance dog from Dogs for Good has made.
Dogs for Good is a UK-wide charity that creates life-changing differences for people living with a wide range of disabilities and conditions including autism, physical disabilities, dementia and learning disabilities, through the help of a specially trained dog. The charity’s assistance and community dogs enable people to live more independently.
Anna Rogers (40), and her husband Owen (45) from Bourne in Lincolnshire, received the shocking news that their sons, Ben (13) and Sam (9) have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, five years ago. They also have an 11-year-old daughter called Lily who does not have the condition.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a life-limiting genetic condition that leads to muscle wasting that gets worse over time. Treatment is in its infancy and there is currently no cure.
Early signs may include delayed ability to sit, stand or walk and difficulties learning to speak and most children with DMD use a wheelchair by their early teens. However, Ben and Sam’s diagnosis came later than you’d normally expect when Ben was eight and Sam was five.
The first time Anna thought there might be something wrong was when they were at a water park on holiday in Spain, when Ben was eight. She noticed that he was going up the steps one leg at a time but she didn’t think it was anything serious and that he just had tight calf muscles. His condition was eventually discovered by chance when he attended a doctor’s appointment for something else.
Anna explains: “Owen was taking Ben to see the paediatrician for a routine check and I reminded him to ask the doctor about Ben’s tight calf muscles.
“He was referred to a physiotherapist and she asked him to get up from the floor without using his hands but he couldn’t. I could tell from her face that whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
“She remarked on his large calves and we told her that his brother has large calf muscles too and she seemed increasingly concerned and asked to looked at him as well.
“They both have what looks like beefy calf muscles and now I know this is a sign of Duchenne’s because it’s caused by fat and scar tissues building up in the legs.”
The couple waited for several months for the results of genetic tests and then they were told the devastating news that both their sons had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Anna said: “It’s one of those things that came out of the blue, we had no knowledge of it in our family.
“It was a real shock to be told that they had this life limiting condition and eventually they won’t be able to move any of their muscles and that it could eventually affect their heart and lungs. I can’t really put into words how we felt.
“You go from being just a normal regular family with all the normal family problems to a whole world of doctors, healthcare plans, physio, drug trials and the boys having to wear splints at night.
“We’ve also had to make adaptations to the house so that we’re prepared for the future, but we try not to think too far ahead. You do get better at dealing with it, because you have to, but the past few years have been very tough.”
The family heard about Dogs for Good when there was a story on BBC Children in Need about another boy with Duchenne who had an assistance dog from the charity. They thought Ben would benefit from an assistance dog to help carry out daily tasks such as picking items up off the floor and give him independence as his condition progresses so they applied to Dogs for Good.
It took 15 months from their initial enquiry to being matched in February 2018 with their dog Sadie, a beautiful yellow Labrador x Golden Retriever. Sadie had been specially trained and while she was introduced initially to help Ben she now helps Sam as well.
Dogs for Good take time to find the right match for each dog and family and a dedicated instructor works with the family to help them build a strong bond together, something that the charity believes is essential to making the partnership a real success. Sadie’s instructor, Kim, initially spent lots of time working with Anna and the family helping them to get to know Sadie, how to care and support her and teaching Anna and Ben about how to ask Sadie to perform the tasks she’d been trained to do.
Four-year-old Sadie helps Ben and Sam with lots of activities that help them to maintain as much independence as possible, including fetching their shoes, she also picks things up off the floor, pulls off their socks and coats, opens doors and picks up keys.
Anna says they wanted an assistance dog like Sadie to help with daily tasks and to give the boys confidence when they are out and about in their wheelchairs, as she becomes the focal point when they are out, rather than their disability.
Sadie also helps Ben and Sam when they attend hospital appointments and feel upset or anxious.
Anna explains: “She’s really helped when they have blood tests and injections, keeping them calm by resting her head on their laps and looking up at them with her big brown eyes.”
Sadie even helps Anna with housework when the boys are at school during the day, she passes her the washing out of the basket so that Anna can hang it up and she delivers her the post.
Anna added: “Sadie sleeps on the bed with the boys which gives them comfort because their bedrooms are downstairs and we’re upstairs. When they’re upset or sad Sadie’s very good at cheering them up. She rests her head on their lap and gives them lots of cuddles and face licks!
“She’s great fun and gets us out and about. We all absolutely love her and can’t imagine life without her – she’s such an important member of the family and the boys really do appreciate everything she does for them.”
Ben said: “Sadie means everything to me” and Sam said: “Sadie helps, she’s cute and I love her.”
Sadie’s training is an ongoing process because the boys will need more and more assistance as they get older.
The family is currently teaching her to pick up clothes and put them in the washing basket and to tidy her own toys into a box. They’ve also taught her to fetch Ben’s shoes from a particular box and are working on the command ‘Help’ where she will go and find Anna if the boys need her.
Every assistance dog is specially trained to help with practical tasks that many people with disabilities find difficult or impossible to do, such as opening and closing doors, helping with dressing and undressing, retrieving items such as mobile telephones or dropped articles like keys or a bag, loading and emptying the washing machine, pressing a pedestrian crossing button and reaching up to shop-counters with items such as a wallet. It takes nearly two years to prepare and train an assistance dog to be partnered with a child or adult with disabilities and each dog is specially matched to their human partner. Dogs for Good also trains assistance dogs to help children with autism.
• Dogs for Good is an innovative charity, exploring the ways dogs can help people with disabilities overcome specific challenges and enrich and improve lives and communities
• Each service has been specifically designed to offer the best help to adults and children with a range of physical disabilities, autism, dementia and learning disabilities through the help of an expertly-trained dog
• Dogs for Good offers three core services: Assistance Dog, Community Dog and Family Dog
• Across the UK, Dogs for Good:
o supports 311 current Assistance Dog partnerships
o trains and matches 50 new partnership per annum
o has 12 Community Dogs working with 196 adults and children alongside a specialist handler
o has helped and continues to support over 1400 families through its Family Dog service
o has over 600 essential volunteers
• Dogs for Good’s approach is unique; we’re pioneering new ways of working to enable us to use our resources to help as many people as possible
• Each year, Dogs for Good receives over 5000 enquiries for its services
• The whole life cost of a working assistance dog (from puppy to retirement) is £22,212
• The cost of training an assistance dog is £13,962
• 76p in every £1 we raise goes directly to making a life-changing difference to someone with disability through contact with a dog (therefore, it costs 24p to raise £1)
• Dogs for Good was founded in 1988 by Frances Hay, who was disabled and experienced the benefits her own dogs brought to her, providing her with independence and companionship
• Dogs for Good's National Training Centre is situated at The Frances Hay Centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire
• The charity also has training centres in Culcheth, Warrington and Knowle in Bristol
• Dogs for Good also works in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland on a project called Dementia Dog which pilots and develops new services for people living with dementia.
