“Lean To Me ” – The Fantastic Story Of Bella U0026amp; George

Bella is ten years old and suffers from Morquio’s disease. If she succeeds in walking today, it is thanks to the support she receives from being able to lean against hers. He is an amazing animal that has been trained since he was a puppy to be the bones, the heart and a sincere familiar to children with degenerative diseases.

Her parents say the bond between Bella and her dog George was almost immediate. Their two souls immediately fell into place to form the best team in the world. Their friendship allows her to go to school as usual and find the strength to undergo surgery and medical tests.

In recent years, dogs have become the best therapists for children and adults with medical problems. They are excellent assistants with admirable loyalty and amazing intelligence, and they can help people overcome personal obstacles.

George, a grand Dane who is only one and a half years old, is part of the “Service Dog Project”, which provides assistance to people with disabilities. Today we want to share another example of the benefits that treatments with animals can have.

Bella suffers from a rare disease. Morquio’s disease causes abnormal development of bones, especially in the spine. Already at the age of ten, this girl from Massachusetts used crutches and wheelchairs.

In an attempt to stop the inexorable progression of the disease, Bella has already undergone nine surgeries. In addition, every week she has to be hospitalized to undergo replacement treatments that allow her body to break down long chains of sugar molecules and improve her quality of life.

The fact that she was in a wheelchair and spent more time in hospital than at school made Bella stop fighting. Her strength was turned off, and that was when the “Service Dog Project” came into the picture. It is a humanitarian project where grand danois dogs are trained to offer help to people with serious mobility problems.

What this animal with its noble gaze did was absolutely amazing. George smiled back at Bella and pulled her away from crutches and wheelchairs. Since then, the girl attends school by leaning against her dog, and every week when she goes to the hospital, George goes to bed with her. They are inseparable.

Humanitarian initiatives such as those carried out in Massachusetts should definitely be more common around the world. Dogs may be widely used for therapeutic purposes in children with physical and mental disabilities, but there are many more areas of care we have not considered.

Patients with degenerative neurological diseases also benefit significantly from living with dogs. They help relieve feelings of loneliness and isolation. Contact with the dog evokes emotions in the Alzheimer’s patient that make him more receptive to reality.

According to a study conducted at the University of Nebraska , the introduction of therapy dogs may provide an “anchor” for memory in patients with Alzheimer’s. Dogs improve their attention span and help them become more communicative.

Attempts to develop treatments with assistance dogs for children with autism have resulted in interesting advances. Pet therapy is a variant of more traditional strategies for working with autistic children. With dogs, one can promote the acquisition of new behaviors. The animals are raised not only to provide positive encouragement, but also as guides to “shape” certain activities.

Dogs are excellent triggers for positive emotions that make children with autism more receptive and motivated.

To conclude, we are confident that treatments with dogs (and other animals) will help us improve the quality of life for many people in the years to come. The nobility of these animals, the “sixth sense” they show when they provide assistance and their way of emotionally connecting with the person is really something we should all be able to experience.

The story of Bella and George is just a small example of how an animal can become the best therapist for a child who now sees the future with new eyes and has someone to lean on who gives her strength and hope.