Messy Church and a very special dog
Son Emerson adores service dog Sally.
Coolum Salvation Army and a dog, aptly named Sally, have literally been godsends for a battling Sunshine Coast family, writes Naomi Singlehurst.
Social worker Kelly married Mark a year after she graduated from university, and that’s when she says “life got pretty interesting”.
The couple’s first daughter, Briley, now 11, was born three months premature, and was diagnosed at the age of two with mild cerebral palsy. Later she was also diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), severe anxiety and Coeliac Disease.
Their second daughter, Joelie, now nine, has also recently been diagnosed with autism and son Emerson, now 7, struggles with gross and fine-motor dyspraxia, autism and anxiety.
Eloquent, positive and without a hint of self-pity, Kelly explains she has her hands “very full” with her children’s physical and emotional needs. She recently gave up her work in disability services to home-school Briley.
To add to the challenges, Mark has suffered a sport-related brain injury that requires many trips to hospital. A recent work-related back injury and subsequent surgery has also taken its toll on him and the family.
With no immediate family close by, Kelly knew she needed help.
Kelly had heard about a charity called Smart Pups, which trains autism service dogs, but also found out it would cost $15,000 for such a dog.
Family members got behind the fundraising drive and the local Lions Club supplied the bulk of the funds.
Their goal was in sight, but still out of reach when the family started attending Coolum Salvos’ “Messy Church”.
Salvos Home League ladies, volunteering at Messy Church, heard of the family’s fundraising efforts and raised the last $1200.
Kelly says: “The Salvos helped so much!”
The dog, called Sally, has now been with the family for five weeks and Kelly says it has made a huge difference already.
Sally has even been trained to track Emerson’s scent, says Kelly.
“She is always watching the children and I feel calmer with her here, because I know I’ve got help,” Kelly says.
“The reason we originally put our name down for Sally is that by the time we get to the end of a day, with the autism, and the sensory overload, the kids all seem to just fall apart. With Sally helping, they are already all so much calmer.”
For the family, the positive contact with Coolum Salvos and Messy Church goes beyond support with Sally.
Kelly says: “We originally met (Lieutenants) Kylie and Marty (Herring) through school. Their daughter was handing out some pamphlets for Messy Church (advertising craft, talk, food and play). I wasn’t raised with any religious background and didn’t have a lot of understanding.
“Briley is enrolled Groves Christian College – they are her distance-education providers based in Brisbane and I thought it might help her. We went to the first session and the kids loved it! I don’t think the kids even realised they were learning about the Bible, because it’s just all fun.
“It is a really positive social experience and that's not always the case for kids with autism.”
And Sally will also be a regular at Messy Church, Kelly says.
“As a service dog we are actually not allowed to leave her at home alone, so wherever we go (including Messy Church) she comes!”
Comments
A very special story, thank you for placing it on the web. I am Regional Messy Church Coordinator for Queensland with the task of supporting and encouraging Messy Churches and the development of Messy Church. I would really like to have a chat to Naomi Can this message be sent to her?