A breakthrough partnership that transformed a childhood
Joel, Caddie and Pixel
15/11/2022
Story
When autism assistance dog Caddie joined Joel’s family, no one could foresee how he’d help change the course of Joel’s life, helping him surpass what everyone thought possible.
Joel was seven when he was diagnosed with autism. He also has ADHD, speech, language and sensory impairment and a sleep disorder. These challenges placed a heavy strain on Joel and his family. When Joel turned nine, he was matched with autism assistance dog Caddie, a yellow labrador x golden retriever with incredible intuition and a gift for making the family laugh.
"I'd never seen Joel smile before. The day Caddie joined our family, Joel agreed to go outside into the garden - something he’d refused to do for months - and played with Caddie with a ball. My husband Kevin broke down in tears when he saw it; we both knew Caddie was going to transform our lives," says Joel's mum, Janet.
"This world we live in I find hard, I find everything hard, but Caddie kept me calm and kept me safe," says Joel.
Caddie was expertly trained and matched to Joel’s needs. Caddie would wear a jacket, harness and lead enabling Joel to stay safe with Janet acting as team leader. And Caddie provided a positive focus and routine each day - vitally, this helped the family better connect.
"Looking back, Caddie’s presence kept us all calm, reducing our stress levels. In turn, that really helped me give the best support I could to Joel. He brought my son back to me in the most extraordinary way," says Janet.
Janet continues, "I never thought for one moment that my son would be able to finish school. Now he’s at college. None of this would have happened without Caddie."
With Caddie enjoying retirement, still very much a family dog, young autism assistance dog Pixel has stepped in to support Joel.
Janet says, "He’s still Joel with all his disabilities, but he’s grown into a brilliant young man who has learned to trust himself and above all, accept who he is and like himself."
Dogs like Caddie and Pixel open doors, they connect people, they keep families together, they help make life possible in so many ways.
Your support will enable more people to benefit from our dogs.
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Katy Deacon is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Technology. She’s driven by the desire to make things work better. Focused on finding solutions and innovating.