Page 18 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

ASSISTANCE DOG PURDY HAS
able to go for days out, visit family and friends,
or go to the shops was your permanent reality. TRANSFORMED LIFE FOR YVONNE
For many families with a child with autism,
social isolation isn’t something that they have AND HER CHILDREN
experienced for a few weeks or even months, Yvonne was devastated when she lost her
but instead is their reality every day. mobility during her 30s. She was a busy mum of
three when she ended up virtually house-bound.
For six year-old Emily, autism means that Her debilitating diagnosis had a huge impact on
wearing clothes or shoes feels overwhelming. the entire family and Yvonne says, “I was at my
And because of this, going outside is a lowest point ever – then my life changed when I
challenge. The family ended up, as many discovered Dogs for Good and I was partnered
families with autistic children do, doing things with Purdy!”
separately.
Yvonne experienced a lot of leg pain as a child
“It’s the simple things that you miss,” admits which her doctor put this down to ‘growing pains’
Steven, Emily’s Dad. “Reading social media because she grew very tall, very quickly. She
posts from friends who have been doing fun stuff says, “It got so bad that I even asked for my
all together as a family; meals out, shopping, leg to be amputated.” Eventually the doctors
holidays etc. Emily’s autism meant those things diagnosed her with Osteomyelitis, a rare and
were almost entirely closed off to us.” serious infection of the bone tissue, which is
incredibly painful.
Oslo provides motivation and distraction for
Emily and that means that she will now even As Yvonne’s condition deteriorated and it
tolerate wearing slip-on shoes and putting on became unbearably painful to move, she
a coat because she knows that it means going
for a walk with Oslo. “Emily holds onto Oslo’s
harness and we go for a walk to the local shops Yvonne & Purdy enjoy a walk in the park
to get an ice cream. She’s really happy being
with Oslo and has even sat down to give him
a cuddle. For a non-cuddly child, that’s a big
thing!”

Best of all, Oslo’s specialist training has
enabled the family to go on outings and on
holiday together. “We recently went to the Sea
Life Centre in Birmingham which was lots of
fun and we all had a great time. We also went
to Hunstanton beach and on the way back,
stopped off for a coffee and a break at the
services. Simple things but things we’d never
have been able to do before Oslo came into our
lives.”

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020