Clinic “staff member” lends a helping dog paw

Grover, the newest staff member, wakes up, excited to go to work. He greets everyone in the office with a dogly wag of his tail, inspects a few breakfast items and checks if physical therapy has any new balls to steal.

Grover is Marine Corps Veteran David Wilsman's service dog-in-training, a 16-month-old Great Pyrenees-Poodle mix.

Wilsman, a registered nurse with the Kankakee Clinic, began bringing Grover to work when they were matched in March, and now the employees joke that Grover is a part of the staff.

"He kind of brought the team together," said clinic nurse manager Sharaine James. "He brings joy to the staff and Veterans."

Wilsman served in the 1991 Gulf War as a Marine Corps infantryman, was honorably discharged in 1992 for injuries sustained while in the service and joined the Reserve in 1996. Then, in 2000, he suffered head, back and neck injuries in a head-on Humvee collision. While preparing to deploy in 2001, he further exacerbated the previous injuries while moving heavy weapons. This caused him to experience issues with his back and neck for years, but he didn't know he was eligible for a service dog.

After transferring to the Kankakee clinic from Edward Hines Jr. VA last year, Wilsman learned he might qualify for a service dog. A social worker at the clinic told him about Very Important Pooches Service Dog Foundation, a non-profit charity organization that trains and places service and emotional support dogs.

Due to his mobility struggles, Wilsman needed a large, strong dog. That's when the foundation introduced him to Grover. "He's strong as an ox," said Wilsman.

While his strength was a given, Wilsman wasn't expecting the friendly disposition of Grover.

"He's more social than most therapy dogs. It's a treat for him to meet a patient at the end of a visit. I was recently laid up in bed for three days. He never left my side. It was great having him there to help me the whole time," Wilsman said, noting that he also wants to help other Veterans find their own four-legged assistants. "I'm very lucky to have him. It's important to me to have him with me when I see patients because I'm raising awareness of the opportunities for service dogs and the availability of veterinary insurance for service dogs through VA."

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