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Four-legged friends bringing hope: Therapy dogs transform lives for families with rare diseases
Families in Murcia welcome their new canine companions thanks to a unique project making real changes for children and adults without treatment
When most people think of therapy, they picture hospital wards or quiet counselling rooms. But for five families in Murcia, hope now has a tail and four furry paws. On Monday, the D’Genes Rare Diseases Association, together with DogKing and the Murcia Regional Ministry of Social Policy, presented specially trained therapy dogs to the children and adults who need them most.For many, the change has been remarkable. Fina García’s ten-year-old son César, who lives with a rare genetic condition, had stopped speaking. After traditional treatments failed, the family took a leap of faith and welcomed Coco, their therapy dog. “He started talking again very soon, saying ‘Coco, handsome; Coco loves me.’ The truth is, in the year we’ve had him at home, César has improved tremendously, and he and Coco have developed a very special relationship. He even says Coco is his brother.”
This programme, the result of collaboration between D’Genes and DogKing, aims to promote independence, boost confidence and help manage emotions for people living with rare diseases. “The goal is to strengthen cognitive, coordination, and psychomotor skills, as well as promote user autonomy and help them learn to manage their emotions,” the association explains.
At the latest handover event, Councilor Conchita Ruiz joined the D’Genes president Juan Carrión and families at the Pilar Bernal Giménez Multidisciplinary Centre. “These actions contribute to improving the quality of life of people with rare diseases, in this case, through canine therapists who have demonstrated their ability to help and care,” Ruiz said. She praised the “collaboration from everyone: social organisations, businesses, and, of course, the public administration” that makes such initiatives possible.
The project has already placed 14 dogs in other regions over the past year, and families say the difference is obvious. María Consentino, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and cataplexy, beamed, “Being able to have a dog that can help me, whether it’s to detect cataplexy or to open a door, because sometimes I can’t, is something we’re really looking forward to.”
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Image: wikicommons
