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Hi I’m Josie!
I’m excited to be on the waitlist to get my very own “Server
Dog". A mobility dog will create a world of opportunity and
independence for me by helping me with everyday tasks like carrying
objects, opening doors, retrieving items for me, dressing and
providing me with some balance.
I was born 16 weeks early. I was only 1lb 2oz when I was born, Mom
calls me Peanut too because I was no bigger than a jar of peanuts. I
had some complications shortly after I was born, specifically brain
bleeds and now I have cerebral palsy.
My CP affects all 4 of my limbs to some degree but my left arm and
leg are the most seriously affected. Things weren't easy for me in the
beginning and the doctors even suggested I be taken off life support.
Thankfully that didn't happen. Mom says what I lack in mobility I
make up for with personality. I love people and making new friends. I
am always happy and I love to laugh (I have a great laugh).
The doctors didn't expect me to live but I proved them wrong. Then
they said I'd never speak...wrong again. They also said I'd never walk
and when I was 7...you get the picture.
I love to walk and I'm getting quite good but balance will always be
hard for me with my left arm and leg not working well in addition to
being almost an inch shorter than my right side. I need my right arm
to provide counterbalance so I can't carry toys or books or even the
tablet I use for my school work by myself when walking. I have to
resort to “bum scooting” on the ground when I need to carry items. As
you can imagine this is not always clean especially when in school
with 500 or more other kids or other public spaces. A dog would allow
me to get things from point A to point B while walking.
There are so many other ways a dog will be a helping hand for me...
Undressing will be easier with a dog pulling on clothing my left hand
can't grasp and opening doors that would throw me off balance are only
a couple examples. We are still learning all the things a dog could
help with the fabulous folks at Kingston 4 Paws are helping us figure
that out as we move through this process. If you could help us raise
funds for Kingston 4 Paws it would go a long ways towards providing
service dogs for me and others who have life challenges of various
sorts. It costs between $20 to 25 thousand dollars to raise and train
a puppy into a working dog. Every penny counts!
