Meet Our Teams

Dedi and Independence

DeDi is a delightful 23 year old woman who has a disarming smile and a sweet voice that belies a fierce determination within. She has a relatively rare neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a progressive condition that causes weakening in the extremities, overall fatigue, and chronic pain. Forced to drop out of college because of exhaustion and an inability to accomplish small, everyday tasks, DeDi contacted us after an occupational therapist recommended a service dog as a way for her to conserve energy. Independence will help her accomplish more important goals every day by assisting with fatiguing tasks such as opening and closing cabinets, fetching a blanket, and getting the phone. But he’ll also be her classmate when she re-enrolls in college to pursue her dream of becoming a speech pathologist. We were thrilled to learn that DeDi also plans to “employ” Indie as a therapy dog.