Meet Lois and guide dog Kelly
Blind since she was only two, Lois Butterfield was in her fifties when she got her first guide dog. She likes to stay fit and have fun, and now her second guide helps enjoy an active lifestyle.
Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer that destroys the retina, primarily affecting young children. Lois Butterfield was two when it struck, resulting in total blindness. She grew up to be confident using a cane, and relied on it throughout her career doing clerical work for the State of Vermont, working at a switchboard for the U.S. Postal Service, and as a medical transcriptionist.
While in her fifties, Lois met a guide dog handler and decided it was time to apply for her own. This encounter led her to Southeastern Guide Dogs and her first guide, Jib. She discovered how much more confidence a guide dog provided, and since then returned for her second guide, a sweet and cuddly black Labrador named Kelly.
“Kelly is an amazing dog and I love her,” says Lois. “And she learns very quickly.” The team enjoys an active lifestyle as Lois likes to stay fit, have fun, and has taken up the sport of rowing. With Kelly leading the way, Lois is expanding her skills with public transportation and exploring new destinations back home in Ponce Inlet, Florida.
Lois works with Kelly at a street corner.
