A Spalding family helped raise the profile of a rare medical condition by appearing on a TV show and adopting a rescue puppy.
Kiya Clarke (11) has mitochondrial disease and visited the Wood Green animal shelter with her family to choose a new furry companion.
The meeting was filmed as part of Channel 4’s The Dog House show and the episode was screened last week.
Viewers were able to watch as Kiya was introduced to a litter of cockapoo puppies and immediately fell in love with Coco. The young dog was equally smitten and cuddled into Kiya’s lap and it was a perfect match.
Coco was one of four puppies born to a rescue dog at the shelter.
“We love Coco a ridiculous amount. She’s a massive part of the family and we couldn’t imagine life without her. She’s very caring and is always there whenever one of us needs a cuddle,” said Kiya’s mum Beckie.
Coco, now 16 months old, has made a huge difference to the lives of all the family, said Beckie.
“She hates it if anyone cries and tries to wash away the tears. She is such a lovely dog, you can’t be down around her.”
Kiya, a pupil at St John the Baptist Primary School, is thought to be the only person in the world diagnosed with her particular strain of the disease. Genetic testing in her family also revealed that Beckie also has the condition, but to a much less serious degree.
Kiya started getting suffering from headaches when she was six years old and from there she went on to develop seizures.
She was finally diagnosed with the MELAS strain of the condition which causes devastating symptoms.
Kiya now uses a wheelchair and just this week has been able to order a new powered chair costing around £13,000.
“People have been so generous, we thought it would take ages but everyone has been brilliant,” said Beckie.
There’s a 14-week lead in time before the special chair, in Kiya’s favourite hot pink colour, arrives.
Her family is also hoping to create a bedroom and wetroom on the ground floor for Kiya and there will be further fundraising to enable the rooms to be personalised for her.
“We don’t want it to be like a hospital. We see enough of them as it is, so we want it to be special for her,” Beckie added.
