Health Notes, December 21st 2008, by Sarah Stacey

Four-footed friends transform lives

Every day at work, Eileen Benhamou fretted about leaving her daughter Rachel, 21, who has cerebral palsy, on her own at their Nottingham home in case she fell over and didn’t have her phone.  Since April, however, Rachel has Chudleigh, a golden Labradoodle assistance dog who is with her constantly.  ‘Rachel has trained Chudleigh to bring her mobile phone to her -  it’s a huge relief for me and her dad.’

Rachel and Chudleigh’s story began in spring 2007 when Rachel saw Canine Partners, the wonderful charity that trains assistance dogs for disabled people, demonstrating at Crufts Dog Show.  ‘They were amazing– they respond to about 100 commands, from pulling off your socks to loading a washing machine – so I contacted them to see if I might be eligible,’ explains Rachel. After filling in lots of forms, including detailing everything she did in a day, Rachel was invited for several assessment days at the Canine Partners centre in West Sussex.  (The number varies with individuals.)  Candidates work with a series of different dogs to find the most suitable.  ‘Chudleigh was the last dog I worked with.  There were some I couldn’t get to do anything.  Then I met Chudleigh and we had to go out in a field, me in my wheelchair, while the trainers walked other dogs around us.  Chudleigh didn’t take his eyes off me - it was a really nice feeling’ says Rachel.  She and Chudleigh then worked together on a two week residential course, and with a trainer at home.

Assistance dogs also give enormous psychological support.  Before she was partnered with Byron, a golden Labrador,  Kate Cross, 45, who has a genetic collagen defect (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), was frightened to go out.  ‘I was crossing a local park in my power chair one day when some local youths decided I was fair game.  They kicked their football at me, and shouted “hit the spaz” and “lets get the cripple”. Now Byron and I go into town twice a week – he has an adjustable lead attached to the chair - and I do the shopping and banking.  The best bit was when Byron jumped up to activate the switch to open the building society door and a group of teenagers watched open-mouthed.  They asked me lots of questions and said how cool we were!’

Kate’s medical condition means that her joints dislocate very easily.  “If I bend to pick something off the floor, my shoulder tends to drop out of the joint, which is painful.  Now Byron does it and instead of several dislocations every day, I have none.’

Even mundane chores are transformed with a dog, Kate has discovered.  ‘He makes my life so much happier. Emptying the washing machine is a game for him so I enjoy it too, as well as the sheer joy of going to the park with a tennis ball every day.  I love to see dogs dashing round and rolling in muddy puddles – and unspeakable smelly things!’
Now she has Chudleigh, Rachel has become so confident in herself that she is hoping eventually to go to university to study acting.  ‘He has given me so much more independence.  I wouldn’t be able to live my life as I can today without him.  People can never believe all the things he does.  I love him to pieces.’  (And Chudleigh’s Christmas present is a new collar and some doggie treats.)

There are currently 140 working partnerships in Great Britain and in 2008
40 dogs were trained, twice as many as the year before.  In 2009, the charity which is totally dependent on private funding hopes to train up to 50.

For more information or to offer support, www.caninepartners.co.uk
 

Cherry cherry good

My favourite non-alcoholic drink this year is CherryActive, made from Montmorency cherries and naturally high in antioxidants.  For a party drink, I dilute the concentrate with tonic or slightly fizzy water.  £13.95 for 473 ml (16 servings – and over 1000 cherries).
Find CherryActive at independent health stores, for a list, or to buy online (they dispatch by Parcel force), www.cherryactive.co.uk

Marmalade for queasiness

One (probably apocryphal) tale about the origins of marmalade attributes it to ‘marie est malade’ because Mary Queen of Scots found it helped when she felt queasy.  When I was felled by a vomiting virus recently, I tried it  - and the sweet ‘n sour taste (homemade by the WI) really did the trick.  Ginger marmalade might be even better.

Website of the week: www.nhs.uk

Go to the NHS Direct website, which has a good Search facility, for advice on problems from food poisoning to burns, as well as how to get treatment over Christmas in an emergency.  Or call 0845 46 47.