Student 'so grateful' for life-changing support dog
A student who relies on walking aids due to a health condition said having her family pet trained as a support dog has changed her life.Elie-Mai Riddick, 24, from Ashton Gate, Bristol, has Scheuermann's Kyphosis, an excessive curvature of the spine which left her needing a walking stick or wheelchair to move around.As her condition worsened, Ms Riddick lost the confidence to go out alone, which led to her taking two years out of her forensic psychology degree at Bath Spa University.But after her labrador Bleddyn was trained as a specialist disability dog by the National Support Dogs charity, she is back studying with Bleddyn by her side.
Ms Riddick said she caught a train from Bristol to Chelmsford recently which is something she would "never have done" without Bleddyn by her side."I was very anxious previously [so] I would have just relied on lifts or driving myself," she added.But she said was now "trying to get more out of my comfort zone" and having Bleddyn trained as a support dog had given her "a lot more confidence".Ms Riddick was born with Scheuermann's Kyphosis but wasn't diagnosed until 2012 after complaining about back pain from when she was seven.She was a competitive dancer and sporty before being told she needed surgery to avoid irreversible paralysis.However, after an eight-hour thoracic spinal fusion surgery in 2019, her balance did not improve and she needed a walking stick.She got Bleddyn four years ago to help her through depression due to her condition, and was advised by a friend to look at getting him trained to support her, so she applied to Support Dogs in 2023.The charity trains specialist assistance dogs to help children and adults with autism, epilepsy or a physical disability.
In January this year, Ms Riddick suffered a fourth acute paralysis episode and was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) which left her needing to use a wheelchair more often.However, she said she ass "so grateful" to have Bleddyn to help with dressing, opening and closing doors, and with washing and drying machines.He can also fetch her walking stick, keys and phone and he has an alert bark and can get help if she falls."I think it's incredible, the amount of people [Support Dogs] help [and] the amount of confidence it gives people with disabilities," she said.
Scoliosis Support and Research says Scheuermann's kyphosis is a condition where the front sections of the vertebrae - the small bones that make up the spine - grow more slowly than the back sections.Patients usually present with it from about 10-16 years of age, and often experience back pain, especially during early teenage years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Labour support for assisted dying law falls as more MPs switch position to oppose change over coercion fears and effect on vulnerable people
Labour support for legalising assisted dying appears to be falling as more MPs publicly question the law change. The Commons will next week debate changes to the plan to allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live to end their own lives, ahead of a crunch vote later this month. But fresh concerns have been raised about the The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is being led through Parliament by backbencher Kim Leadbeater. Opponents have complained the Bill does not have enough protections and has been rushed through, with the criticism coming days after two royal medical colleges voiced their doubts on the legislation in its current form. And now even supporters of the principle of legalising assisted dying are questioning the process. Labour MP Markus Campbell-Savours, who voted for the bill in a preliminary vote last year, told the BBC he now planned to vote against it because in its current form it crossed his 'red lines for protecting the vulnerable'. 'I want to see safeguards that will ensure that assisted dying is not overextended to include those in situations where there are alternative ways to improve the quality of their lives,' said Campbell-Savours. 'I would also be very concerned if legislation produced a situation where people who considered themselves a burden on their families and friends felt pressured to end their life.' The Commons will next week debate changes to the law allowing terminally ill people with less than six months to live to end their own lives, ahead of a crunch vote later this month. And fellow Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn told the broadcaster he will vote against the bill, having abstained last year. 'We see quite a few of the amendments which are specifically aimed at stopping coercion being opposed by the supporters of the bill,' he said. 'I don't think chances to make the bill safer have been taken.' At the end of November last year, the Commons backed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 330 votes to 275, a majority of 55 votes. But campaigners believe enough have changed their mind to put its chances of becoming law onto a knife-edge. The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death. This would be subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The terminally ill person would take an approved substance, provided by a doctor but administered only by the person themselves. The implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years from royal assent, rather than the initially suggested two years. If the Bill was to pass later this year that would mean it might not be until 2029, potentially coinciding with the end of this Government's parliament, that assisted dying was being offered. A Government impact assessment published last month estimated that between 164 and 647 assisted deaths could potentially take place in the first year of the service, rising to between 1,042 and 4,559 in year 10. The establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and three-member expert panels would cost an estimated average of between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year, the document said. It had 'not been possible' to estimate the overall implementation costs at this stage of the process, it added. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years.
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
Mum shares urgent warning for summer beach trips with kids as pal's left in hospital following massive allergic reaction
A MUM has shared an urgent warning for summer days at the beach after a friend's near-death experience. Danielle explained that between June and September there are aquatic animals called weever fish, which camouflage themselves in the sand and sea. 3 3 3 They can even "survive for quite a long time" hiding on the beach, but if you step on it with bare feet you'll end up being stung. Danielle - aka The Enchanted Nanny - said that her best friend's brother had found out the hard way about the potentially deadly fish when he stepped on one, and suffered a massive allergic reaction. "He's trodden on it in bare feet, and usually that would cause quite a hefty sting, where you would need to put the hottest water possible on the area to stop the venom from spreading and stinging," she said in a video on her TikTok page. "But he didn't even get that far because he had a massive allergic reaction, which has landed him straight in the hospital. "It's been a really, really scary time and a shock to the system." She added that it's vital to wear some kind of shoes when on the sand near the sea, so that if you did accidentally tread on a weever fish, you wouldn't get stung. "They definitely feature very heavily on our UK coastlines," she continued. "If you're going to the beach, wear beach shoes, flip-flops, jelly shoes. "Do not let your children wander around by the sea without shoes on. "It's just not worth the risk." The dangers of hard to spot Weever fish "Spoiler alert - they sting even when no longer alive, the venom is still potent!" one person warned in the comments section. "I got stung by one in Cornwall," another recalled. "It was so painful, the lifeguard hit me to put my foot in the hottest water I could stand." "I was (stung) - it's terrible and was so painful please be careful!" a third wrote. "Crazy that I have been on the beach barefoot every year for 28 years and I have never heard about or seen these until this year," someone else said. "It's important to note it's not just a little sting," another warned. How should you treat a weever fish sting? ACCORDING to Moelfre Coastguard, if you experience an intense reaction such as trouble breathing or heart palpitations after a sting, you should call 999. If your pain is less intense, the sting can be treated with hot water. The higher temperature will destroy the poison as it is protein-based. Use tweezers to remove the spines. And painkillers can also be taken to ease discomfort. "My whole leg ended up paralysed because we didn't know what it was! "Always buy jelly shoes for you and your children!"
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Alarming number of drivers have not had eye test in last two years
A recent survey indicates that almost a quarter of UK drivers have not had an eye test in the last two years. The poll, commissioned by Churchill Insurance, highlights increasing worries about the absence of mandatory eye checks for drivers after they pass their initial driving test. Currently, drivers only need to prove they can read a number plate from 20 metres away during their test, with no further requirements to demonstrate adequate vision. The NHS advises eye tests every two years, and drivers are expected to self-report any medical conditions that could impair their driving ability. In April, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander received a report following the deaths of four people caused by drivers with poor eyesight. The drivers had disregarded opticians' warnings about their deteriorating vision. The Churchill survey suggested that 83 per cent of UK adults would support compulsory eye tests for drivers every decade. The figure rises to 88 per cent for those who would be in favour of sight exams every three years once drivers reach 70 years old. Some 12 per cent of drivers surveyed admitted they either thought their sight was not road legal, or were not sure it was. Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 240 people were injured and seven were killed in crashes on Britain's roads in 2023 in which defective eyesight was a factor. That was the most casualties since 2017, when the total was 262. Nicholas Mantel, head of motor insurance at Churchill, said: 'It seems surprising that UK drivers never need to prove that their eyesight is safe enough for driving once they have passed their driving test. 'What is even more remarkable is that some people continue to drive despite suspecting that their eyesight isn't good enough – or are doing so without wearing their prescription lenses or glasses. 'Our research suggests that there's overwhelming public support to make our roads safer by introducing compulsory eyesight tests for drivers.' Ms Alexander recently told the Commons Transport Select Committee she is 'open to considering' requiring older motorists to pass eye tests to keep their driving licence. This could be part of the Government's upcoming road safety strategy. A DfT spokesman said: 'Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way. 'The NHS recommends adults should have their eyes tested every two years and drivers are legally required to inform the DVLA if they have a condition which affects their eyesight. 'We are committed to improving road safety and continue to explore ways to achieve this.' The survey was conducted by research company Opinium between May 20-23 among 2,000 UK adults, of whom 1,312 were drivers.
