News

Chrissy and ‘Lacey’ take on PAWGUST

June 26, 2019

Last year Chrissy and her Guide Dog ‘Lacey’ raised over $6,700 for Guide Dogs by participating in PAWGUST.

Chrissy and ‘Lacey’ will be hitting the pavement again this year and walking 30 minutes for 30 days in August to give more people the chance to access life-changing services. Would you like to join Chrissy and ‘Lacey’ in PAWGUST this year?

Register For PAWGUST now!

Chrissy’s Story

At just 24 years of age, Chrissy’s life changed forever. She was in her final year of university when she started experiencing difficulties with reading classroom white boards and driving at night. Her friends noticed Chrissy would look above sentences when reading and she would look above people’s foreheads when speaking to them.

Chrissy told us that initially she thought she had just taught herself to read in a different way and that had somehow ruined her eyesight. What she was actually doing was using her peripheral vision to compensate for the slow loss of her central vision. Soon after, Chrissy was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, an inherited retinal disease.

Meeting Guide Dog Lacey
As Chrissy grappled with what was happening with her sight, she contacted Guide Dogs for training to use a long cane.

“I had a love-hate relationship with my cane. I didn’t think I would qualify to receive a Guide Dog as I was not completely blind so I put off undertaking the assessment for two years.”

A Guide Dog proved to be exactly what Chrissy needed and ‘Lacey’, a beautiful yellow Labrador, walked into her life.

“Transitioning from the cane to a Guide Dog was great and getting around with ‘Lacey’ by my side is so much easier. I think ‘Lacey’ can sense when I’m feeling anxious and she will stop so that I can bend down and give her a big hug. She is just so calming.”

Why your suppawt matters
It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train and support Guide Dogs like ‘Lacey’ so we need your help this PAWGUST.

All you have to do is walk 30 minutes a day for 30 days during August and help raise funds for more Guide Dog pups just like ‘Lacey’. Will you join us?