Man Living With Cerebral Palsy Hopes Service Dog Will Help Change His Life
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The ability to get around on your own is something that many people may take for granted.
From being able to get up and go to work, to having the liberty to enjoy a sporting event, most Americans don't face the trials of needing a service dog, but for those that do they can make a world of difference.
30-year-old Joe Ffitch, correctly spelled, just happens to be one of those people, and now he's raising money, via a GoFundMe page, to make having a service dog a reality.
Joe was born with cerebral palsy and has been diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, a type of cerebral palsy that affects all four limbs. He says the canine will give him the confidence he needs to be more mobile and to better communicate with others.
"I feel if I had a Canine Assistant it would enhance my life so much," Joe wrote on his GoFundMe page.
As an avid volunteer, he hopes it will also help him, help others. According to Joe, he and his family volunteer at a local men's shelter monthly, and for 8 years he has been a helper at his local school library.
Despite his illness, Joe is an avid sports lover, like many Philly natives, and he also loves to garden. He believes the service dog will give him the opportunity to take part in the things he loves to do.
His wish is that a canine companion will help him get out more and become more independent overall, putting less of a burden on his loved ones.
"My goal for the future is to gain my independence more and more, and I feel a canine assistant dog would certainly help me to improve my independence level and quality of life," Joe wrote.
So far, Joe's story has touched the hearts of more than 100 people, who have helped him raise more than $6,000.
Joe and his family, which consist of his two sisters, brother, and his mom, have a goal of $13,000. They plan on using the funds to pay for the dog as well as anything it may need, such as food and medical attention.
For more information, go to https://www.gofundme.com/forSTING.