Rogers family from Bourne love Dogs for Good assistance dog Sadie who helps Ben and Sam live with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The mum of two boys with a rare muscle disorder has spoken about the life-changing impact their assistance dog has made.

Dogs for Good is a charity that matches trained assistance dogs to people living with disabilities and conditions including autism, dementia and physical and learning disabilities.

The charity’s assistance and community dogs enable people to live more independently.

Anna Rogers, 40, and her husband Owen, 45, from Bourne received the dreadful news five years ago that their sons, Ben, now 13, and nine-year-old Sam have Duchenne muscular dystrophy. They also have an 11-year-old daughter called Lily who does not have the condition.

Duchenne's is a life-limiting genetic condition that leads to muscle-wasting that gets worse over time. Treatment is in its infancy and there is currently no cure.

Most children with the condition use a wheelchair by their early teens. However, Ben and Sam’s diagnosis came later than normally expected - Ben was eight and Sam was five.

The first time Anna thought there might be something wrong was when they were at a water park on holiday in Spain, when Ben was eight. She noticed that he was going up the steps one leg at a time but she didn’t think it was anything serious. His condition was eventually discovered by chance.

Anna said: “Owen was taking Ben to see the paediatrician for a routine check and I reminded him to ask the doctor about Ben’s tight calf muscles.

“He was referred to a physiotherapist and she asked him to get up from the floor without using his hands but he couldn’t. I could tell from her face that whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“She remarked on his large calves and we told her that his brother has large calf muscles too and she seemed increasingly concerned and asked to looked at him as well.

“They both have what looks like beefy calf muscles and now I know this is a sign of Duchenne’s because it’s caused by fat and scar tissues building up in the legs.”

The couple waited for several months for the results of genetic tests and were told both their sons had Duchenne's.

Anna said: “It’s one of those things that came out of the blue; we had no knowledge of it in our family.

“It was a real shock to be told that they had this life-limiting condition and eventually they won’t be able to move any of their muscles and that it could eventually affect their heart and lungs. I can’t really put into words how we felt.

“You go from being just a normal regular family with all the normal family problems to a whole world of doctors, healthcare plans, physio, drug trials and the boys having to wear splints at night.

“We’ve also had to make adaptations to the house so that we’re prepared for the future, but we try not to think too far ahead. You do get better at dealing with it, because you have to, but the past few years have been very tough.”

The family heard about Dogs for Good on BBC Children in Need.

It took 15 months from their initial enquiry to being matched in February 2018 with their dog Sadie, a Labrador-retriever.

Four-year-old Sadie helps Ben and Sam with lots of activities that help them to maintain as much independence as possible, including fetching their shoes, she also picks things up off the floor, pulls off their socks and coats, opens doors and picks up keys.

Sadie also gives the boys confidence when they are out and about in their wheelchairs, as she becomes the focal point when they are out, rather than their disability.

She also helps Ben and Sam when they attend hospital appointments and feel upset or anxious.

Anna explains: “She’s really helped when they have blood tests and injections, keeping them calm by resting her head on their laps and looking up at them with her big brown eyes.”

Sadie even helps Anna with housework when the boys are at school, she passes her the washing out of the basket so that Anna can hang it up and she delivers her the post.

Anna added: “Sadie sleeps on the bed with the boys which gives them comfort because their bedrooms are downstairs and we’re upstairs. When they’re upset or sad Sadie’s very good at cheering them up. She rests her head on their lap and gives them lots of cuddles and face licks!

“She’s great fun and gets us out and about. We all absolutely love her and can’t imagine life without her – she’s such an important member of the family and the boys really do appreciate everything she does for them.”

Ben said: “Sadie means everything to me” and Sam said: “Sadie helps, she’s cute and I love her.”

Sadie’s training is an ongoing process because the boys will need more and more assistance as they get older.

The family has taught her to fetch Ben’s shoes from a particular box and are working on the command ‘help’ where she will go and find Anna if the boys need her.