Heidi Martin-Coleman and Mercury Easthampton, Massachusetts Heidi and Mercury are out and about! Heidi has Mitochondrial disease and uses a wheelchair, has many health challenges and is profoundly deaf, but she is hoping that with Mercury's help she can go back to work soon! Heidi is a Mom of two who has Mitochondrial Myopathy, a progressive neuromuscular disease similar to muscular dystrophy. Heidi is profoundly deaf because of a strong antibiotic that she needed to treat a life-threatening pneumonia 18 months ago. A Registered Nurse, Heidi worked as a developmental nurse educator and service coordinator for children with developmental disabilities and their families, until her disease progressed to the point where she could no longer walk long distances or climb stairs. Heidi uses a power wheelchair in the community and a walker at home. She is hoping to return to work, in an office setting and telecommuting from home, providing help and support to disabled children and adults. Since Heidi and Mercury have teamed up, Heidi has started to regain her independence! Mercury can pick up just about any dropped item, as small as a paperclip and as tempting as a small beg of kibble. Heidi has not fallen, even once, since Mercury joined the family. He opens doors, pushes buttons, turns light switches on and off, and can retrieve objects from another room. Mercury recognizes the alarms on Heidi's feeding and IV pumps and will alert her by nudging the bag with his nose. Heidi can't hear the alarms so alerting to these sounds keeps Heidi safe, and Mercury knows that when the alarms go off, he's about to get a really yummy treat! Heidi is taking a class at a local college and Mercury is somewhat of a celebrity-everyone knows his name, but usually can't remember hers. (Mercury's assistant, maybe?) The job search is on. Heidi has been a Registered Nurse for 16 years, and is working to create a job for herself as a consultant, finding resources for disabled children and adults. Mercury is an excellent ambassador, introducing the public to the special skills that service dogs have. He is a natural-born teacher. Thank you for your donations to this amazing organization. Mercury has helped me rejoin society as an independent, confident woman who happens to have a disability, butcan do just about anything she wants and needs to, with help from Mercury, her fuzzy guardian angel.

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