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Client/Dog Team

Mary and Quinn

     Quinn

This might sound weird, but I feel like the luckiest person ever!  In 1962 I was diagnosed with cancer.  Either the cancer killed children or the radiation.  I was sent home to die but with the help of great doctors and a Christian family, my life continued.  The radiation did a lot of damage to my spine, muscle and vascular system.  To look at me you would not even know all I went through! 

Around the age 30, I started to have a lot of health problems.  By the time I was 40 I haven’t been able to work.  Standing, sitting and walking get harder and harder as the years go by.  A lot of people that have disabilities also have depression.  With living alone, I started to think of getting a service dog to make my life easier. 

Quinn was my first WAGS dogs and made my life so much better.   Not only did he help me with picking up stuff that I dropped, he also got the phone and remote control, and turned off the lights.  He even helped my depression!  Sad to say, his life ended way too soon.  He made such a big difference in my life that I knew I needed another helper. 

About a year later, August 2005, I was matched up with Winston.  He’s a golden retriever just like Quinn, but Winston has a totallyWinston different personality.  We go everywhere together and the question most asked when people see us is, “are you training him?”  It’s nice that my disabilities don’t show!  With Winston may they never. 

It must be a great feeling for WAGS trainers to see their dogs’ graduate and help people with disabilities.  That is what life is really about!  Helping others.  That saying that what you give to others comes back ten times fold is so true!  These dogs are so devoted to helping us because of the volunteers that gave 100% of their love and devotion to them.  Winston and I want to thank Mary Burke Faber for Winston’s puppy training and Mike and Sonjia Croft for Winston’s advanced training.  Most of all - WAGS, for caring enough to do this for us.   – Mary Barth Stockfish

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