Matthew Lintern from Scotland was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 6 years old. This meant he suffered seizures as a young child, and these have increased over the last few years as his hypo awareness decreased. Initially, his partner was able to pick up any imminent seizures but when she had to work away from home, it meant Matthew was often having potentially life-threatening seizures at work, home and even on the ferry from Shetland.

Not surprisingly, Matthew’s confidence plummeted and he was becoming exhausted from constantly monitoring his blood glucose levels throughout the night.  This was unsustainable and so, after much research, they discovered the work of Medical Detection Dogs.  Matthew was amazed by the work they did, and applied to the charity to get a dog to help manage his condition. Luckily, his application was successful and he was paired with a Sprocker (Springer Spaniel crossed with Cocker Spaniel) called Alan.

Matthew was delighted when he found out he had been paired with Alan. Alan had been donated to the charity and when the pair first met, Alan was an instant hit. As Matthew recalls, ‘Alan was so cute, very affectionate and full of fun; His name often gets a giggle from passing dog walkers!’

Matthew describes how much his life has changed since being paired with Alan. He has gained in confidence, sleeps better knowing that Alan will alert to his blood sugars, and can relax more easily at home; ‘I can now sleep the whole night without waking to check my blood sugars.’ Alan has also encouraged him to be more active and get out to explore some amazing parts of Scotland.

Moreover, having Alan has had a positive effect on his professional life. ‘With Alan there I am much more confident to get on with my job without constantly worrying about my blood sugar. He is also a bit of a celebrity at work, everyone loves to come over for a quick cuddle! Since having Alan I haven’t had a single day off work with ill health which is also fantastic.’

Matthew recalls the biggest thing that has changed since getting Alan: a reduction in his seizures. ‘I was previously having 2-3 seizures per month, sometimes more. But I now haven’t had a seizure for 6 months and will hopefully be able to get my driving licence back early next year which would be fantastic.’

Training has been a lot of hard work for both Matthew and Alan. Being a lively dog, Alan needs a lot of training exercises and continues to be cheeky when he thinks he can get away with it!

Despite this Alan has a heart of gold and loves a cuddle more than anything! The bond that he and Matthew has clearly demonstrates the understanding they have of one another, and Alan’s dedication to Matthew in recognising his needs. ‘My favourite thing about Alan is how affectionate he is; he is also wonderful with my two-year-old niece and will roll on his back and let her stroke him.’

The story of Matthew and Alan is a wonderful example of how a Medical Detection Dog can truly change an individual’s life in so many ways. Matthew describes to me how he has felt fully supported by the charity, and particularly from the Scottish trainer who is always available to give hints and tips during training. ‘Her patience and expertise has been invaluable and Alan is always so excited to see his “Auntie Mandie.”’