Sarah Ford | January 20, 2015
Service Dog Gives Karley Greatest Gift of All – Independence
By KarleyÂ
Independence is such a powerful word, one that is often taken for granted.
Being a teenager, like other teenagers, I want as much independence I can possibly get. But in April 2012, I was given a diagnosis that took my independence away from me, or so I thought. I suddenly went from running with my track team and playing basketball, to having to use crutches and wheelchair to get around. I just accepted that with my new condition I now needed to give up a great deal of my independence.
Then, in summer 2013 I received a phone call that changed my life forever. That call came from Canine Partners for Life giving me the news that I had been matched with a service dog! I had applied for a service dog shortly after my diagnosis, but did not realize I would get matched so soon. They told me his name was Kaiser, and we were accepted into the fall 2013 team training class. Kaiser and I connected from the very first day I met him. In only three weeks of training, Kaiser had already made an impact in my life. With Kaiser by my side to support my walking and to help me conserve my energy, I began to slowly get back aspects of my independence that I thought were gone for good!
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Explore More Articles
Open Position – Application Specialist, Employee Assistance FundsÂ
Position: Application Specialist, Employee Assistance Funds Department: Charitable Grants Reporting Structure: Director, Charitable Grants Employment Type: Part-time, temporary Exemption Status: Non-exempt Location: Remote Overview of…
Open Position – Director of Business DevelopmentÂ
Position: Director of Business Development Department: Business Development Reporting Structure: VP, Business Development Employment Type: Full-time Exemption Status: Exempt Location: Remote Overview of the Role: …
Micro-Influencers and Nonprofits: Local Partnerships
What does your nonprofit’s digital presence look like these days? Having a website and social media accounts almost goes without saying, and your team likely…
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.
