Doncaster Woman Praises Support Dogs Charity after 20 Years of Assistance
By Charities Correspondent
A Doncaster woman who dyed her hair blue and even got a tattoo to support a charity says its assistance dogs have helped her maintain her independence for nearly 20 years.
Angela Cooke, from Wheatley, has relied on specially trained assistance dogs from Support Dogs since 2010 after developing serious health complications linked to Type 1 diabetes.
The 53-year-old was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 13 and says the impact on her mobility and eyesight has become increasingly severe over the years.
"It's almost as if somebody puts a blanket of pain over you," she said.
Angela walks with two crutches and sometimes uses a wheelchair. She is also registered partially sighted and struggles with balance and dexterity.
Her first introduction to Support Dogs came after spotting one of the charity's blue-jacketed dogs at her GP surgery.
After learning more about the organisation, she was matched with her first disability assistance dog, Siân, in 2010 following two years of training.
Since then, Angela has worked with three assistance dogs – Siân, Freya and now Bonbon – all trained to help with everyday tasks including picking up dropped items, opening doors, helping her undress and alerting others if she needs assistance.
Her latest partner, Bonbon, moved in with Angela in late 2023 and the pair graduated from the charity's training programme in November last year.
"She's so sharp," Angela said. "If she sees something that needs doing, she will do it."
Over the years, Angela has also become one of the charity's biggest supporters.
She volunteered at its offices, completed a 28-mile sponsored walk along South Wales' Taff Trail and was named Support Dogs' Client Fundraiser of the Year in 2017.
Her dedication is visible too. Angela sports what she calls "Support Dogs blue" hair and has the charity's logo tattooed on her forearm.
"I'm proud of the charity," she said. "They have given me so much support over the years.
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"It's all good quality people who provide good quality dogs and they are just brilliant."
Looking back on the past two decades, Angela believes life would have been very different without the dogs by her side.
"I would probably be in a permanent depression and I wouldn't have been able to live day by day," she said.
"My dogs have provided so much joy and people love seeing them working.
"Daily they do a brilliant job and my life wouldn't be worth living without them."
