Nothing Satisfies Like "Coco"

There’s not much that slows Wanda Cochran down. As a wife, mother, volunteer, skier, pianist, and resident of the greater Boston area, her interests are many and her days are full.

Nevertheless, after having a couple of bad falls, Wanda had to face the fact that she was losing her vision to retinitis pigmentosa and might possibly lose it all one day. This contributed to making her somewhat tentative about venturing out on her own.

At first she tried using a cane. She didn’t like it. “I found the cane to be a hindrance and that my pace was very slow,” she said. “That’s when I decided to research guide dog schools on the internet.” Enter Fidelco and “Coco,” Wanda’s first guide dog. “Getting Coco changed my life pretty dramatically,” she said. “I now have a real sense of safety and I’m much more comfortable and at ease going shopping and being active in my son’s life.”

Another important reason that Wanda chose Fidelco was because of our In-community Placement process. “It was wonderful. What a great experience to learn how to use your guide dog in the places you frequent all the time,” she said. “And the fact that I could do it with my family; to have them be part of the training process was thrilling.”

As Wanda became acclimated to working with Coco, she learned to appreciate not only her guide dog’s skill, but something deeper and more meaningful. “Having Coco around is a huge boost from an emotional standpoint,” she said.

“I can’t imagine not having her in my life. And for me, walking down the street with a Fidelco German Shepherd helps me feel that I am embracing my blindness with grace, intelligence and dignity; just like my companion, Coco.