Demi is now a bubbly 18 year old just starting university, but life wasn’t always so kind.
“I was born with cerebral palsy which makes it difficult for me to move around easily and so I got quite fat as a young child. Primary school was a nightmare. I couldn’t dance like the other girls or take part in sports. All I can remember is how much I was bullied and hated every minute. It wasn’t until I got to secondary school that I felt more part of things and made lots of friends.”
Our Society, despite being so much better informed is still often uncomfortable around disabled people and despite the absence of bullying, Demi still felt very self-conscious: “If people wanted to know something about me they would always speak to my mum as if I wasn’t there. They only saw my wheelchair, not me. It made me really upset and I got to the point where I felt so awkward that I was reluctant to speak at all. I just didn’t know what to say.”
In 2007 a chance conversation highlighted the work of Dogs for the Disabled: “Someone spoke to my mum and mentioned the charity, so we looked it up on the Internet and read all about the fabulous work it does and felt that I would benefit greatly from having an assistance dog. ” Luckily the charity agreed and wheels were put in motion to train a dog especially for Demi. That dog was black Labrador Bumble.
“Bumble is just an adorable little girl who always wants to please me, wagging her tail like mad. She sees the things she does for me as playing a game, sometimes running off with the things she’s meant to bring to me, which in turn makes me smile. Although most of the time Bumble behaves, she also has a very cheeky side to her, which I love and wouldn’t change for the world.
It’s difficult to put into words how an assistance dog is about so much more than just having help. Bumble has made an enormous difference to my life both in the way of independence and in terms of my confidence. Without her, I wouldn’t have even considered going to university. Before, people wouldn’t approach me. Now, we can never go shopping or to a public place without being stopped by people wanting to speak with Bumble, she’s a real icebreaker.
Bumble is a priceless gift and my reason for getting up in the morning. Without her by my side my life would be empty.”
Make a donationSupport Dogs for the DisabledAdult assistance dog service info (aged 17 years and over)
