You and a Puppy: Moving Cecilia's Mountain

I’m Carole Ecker. I met Cecilia Georgiles a few years ago volunteering at our local food pantry. She was hauling with ease loads of her donated pet food into the pantry, so people could feed their own pets. You could tell it was her “mission” to love animals – it still is.

But it’s hard for her to volunteer now, because Parkinson’s disease is closing in. I’ve seen her passion for helping desperate animals – and now I see her sick and in need of their help. I’m asking for your donation so she can have a service mobility dog.

Cecilia before her illnesses

Cecilia carries a mountain of hardship along with her Parkinson’s. I want to help her with just one piece that can shoulder some of the weight of that burden. It’s a small but mighty piece. Somewhere, there’s a puppy waiting to bring her hope, security and, so importantly, a steady footing. We only have to make it happen.

Cecilia’s Parkinson’s has stiffened and weakened her legs. Her gait “freezes,” her footsteps are small, and balance is hard. Picking up dropped things hurts, and she gets dizzy. She’s falling more. Cecilia also has osteoporosis that erodes her bones, so falls are a bigger threat. She has fibromyalgia, causing fatigue, “brain fog” and throbbing pain. She has vertigo that comes abruptly and sometimes forces her to actually crawl. She has bouts of severe depression (Parkinson’s contributes by undercutting dopamine levels). Her grown children try to help, but her daughter has a painful ongoing disease, CRPS. Her 24-year-old son, whom she lovingly shares custody of, has Down’s Syndrome. Her 35-year-old son recently committed suicide, and you can almost feel her grief and her longing for the boy he once was.

Cecilia is going through way too much. I don’t know how she does it. She’s a hard fighter.

Cecilia with her older kids in their healthier days

When Cecilia told me about the night she got vertigo, got tangled in her walker and fell, gashing her head, I understood she needed a better solution soon. Her son wasn’t there that night, and she was bruised, scared and alone.

Cecilia has thought of every way to catch her falls. Walkers and canes don’t work. In-home help is helpless: falls are unpredictable – they don’t wait till someone’s there.

Cecilia needs a solution not only to catch her falls, but prevent them. A service mobility dog can do that.

Cecilia is just 62, but because of the falls, thoughts of assisted living hang over her. Besides falling, she’s nowhere near needing assisted living. Worst of all, she would have to leave her younger son – they’re so clearly the light of each other’s lives.

Cecilia needs a unique dog, one with a large frame, strong bones and straight back to take her weight if she falls. A larger breed of German shepherd is ideal, especially a male. He will need custom training for the needs of Parkinson’s patients. From puppyhood, this little guy will learn to flank Cecilia, guiding and steadying her so she can remain a productive adult.

Although devoted, Panda doesn't have the calm temperament to guide Cecilia.

Insurance doesn’t cover service canines, and wait lists for free ones are years out – Cecilia’s diseases are progressing too fast. We’ve searched for grants, but can’t find any. Because of her disabilities, Cecilia can’t work anymore. She lives on disability and retirement disbursements that only cover expenses.

Cecilia is donating any extra funds to the national “Defenders of Wildlife.” (She’s all about animal compassion! Years ago, she launched a foundation creating a rescue for animals scheduled for euthanasia at county shelters. She can’t do as much now, but she still houses six older feral cats in her fenced yard and heated shed. When the last kitty passes, she may need to find a more affordable, less-in-need-of-upkeep place for herself, her son and their aging but adorably lovable border collie, Panda. She still applies for grants for pet food for the food pantry and elsewhere. Sickness doesn’t stop her drive!)

Cecilia still shelters the six kitties left from her rescue days.

Here’s the critical factor: From birth to full-grown weight and readiness, the puppy needs two full years, so Cecilia needs to get him very, very soon. Time is crucial. She needs to find and buy this quality-bred German shepherd male, train him through three rounds of preliminary training, and, most importantly, get him the extra custom training for Parkinson’s patients. Until now, she found only out-of-state trainers doing this unique work. They all required her to live on-site for months-long training, and their programs were wildly expensive (up to $25,000). None of that is possible or affordable. Then almost miraculously, Cecilia found a specialty training program only 45 minutes away. It’s way less costly, and she’ll still be there interacting in her puppy’s sessions. The custom training is two semesters over six months, but Cecilia is the perfect mix of experience and dedication to make the goal together with this puppy.

Because Cecilia’s illness is progressing, it’s critical that we find a way to begin with a puppy as soon as we can.

Cecilia’s modest goal includes buying the puppy; initial vet clearance (puppy shots, heartworm blood test, neutering, etc.); all training, including a few behavior sessions for Panda, her current dog, to accept the puppy; service dog gear; and incidentals connected with travel to the local training site.

This puppy will make Cecilia safer. She won’t have to be afraid of living alone or be nearly so on-edge about falling. He’ll give her freedom to live the best life she can and take care of her son.

Cecilia, her son and Panda

$10,000 is not impossible. It just needs some financial gumption. It needs our support. I’m launching this project with my own donation.

Somebody needs your generosity. If you’re a friend or live in Cecilia’s town, what a joy to give her your help, to see that dog looking after her. If you don’t know Cecilia personally, you’re giving such a hopeful gift to a courageous, compassionate woman. This dog will change her life – you will change her life. Cecilia and that puppy won’t let you down.