A woman in a tan coat and beanie walks with a yellow Labrador on a wooden boardwalk bridge over a calm river, surrounded by bare and evergreen trees on a clear day.

Suzy & Jonah

He really has changed my life’s possibilities.

While classified as registered blind for the last 30-odd years, for the few years up to 2018 my eyesight had started to impact my life more than ever. While reading became almost impossible since I finished my degree, my diminishing eyesight started to impact my ability to go out and move around. It was most acute when walking, especially at night. I would regularly walk into people’s rubbish bins being left out for collection, for example. And not being able to drive, to be able to walk safely was something I couldn’t just give up!

So, in 2018 I was blessed with a fabulous addition to my family – my Guide Dog, Jonah from the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in Cork. He transformed my life – giving me confidence to go almost anywhere and ensuring I can continue to live as independently a life as possible. Recently, we went on our first flight together! Jonah made the trip so easy! He really has changed my life’s possibilities.