Jimmy Blando of Port St. Lucie,
Fla., who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is
one of the lucky few who've gotten to make friends
with a dolphin. In the fall of 2005, when he
was 14, Jimmy and his family participated in
the dolphin therapy program offered by Island
Dolphin Care (IDC) on Key Largo, Fla. Above,
he gets to know "his" dolphin, Sarah, assisted
by Jeff Graves, a "dolphin-assisted therapist"
and former special education teacher. Sarah
seemed to take an instant liking to Jimmy, says
his mom, Tina. "She would kiss his face and
then she would lay her head on his arm," says
Tina. "She would give kisses to other people
but she never laid her head on their arm that
way. But she always did that with Jimmy."
Jimmy also was enchanted. "He said, 'Mommy I can move around now!'" says Tina. "In the water, his legs move. Sarah made him feel so comfortable he felt like he was walking in the water. Sarah made him feel like the King of the Water."
The trip, made possible thanks to IDC financial aid, was a "once in a lifetime experience" for the entire family, says Tina. From left are Anthony (9), Jesse (13), dad Jeffrey, mom Tina, and Jimmy. Since swimming with Sarah, Jimmy has shown more confidence and bravery and has been more willing to go into the family's swimming pool. "I think it helped him spiritually, mentally and physically," says Tina. "Mind, body, spirit. That's what Sarah did for my child."
In addition to swim time, the five-day IDC program includes classroom time, where participants continue to work on therapeutic goals individually designed for their needs. Here, Jimmy works with a volunteer intern to create a poster of photos from his swims with Sarah, which he later took home as a memento. During "off" hours, the family stayed in a furnished condo that was included in the program fee. "The whole program is so comfortable," says Tina. "They make you feel at peace."
IDC staff calls Sarah "our Gucci Girl. Sarah is a beautiful 'princess' dolphin, who is completely aware of this fact. She knows what she wants, when she wants it, and how to get it."
The Greeks believed that dolphins once were men
- pirates to be exact. According to the myth,
pirates once unknowingly kidnapped the disguised
god Dionysus (a.k.a. Bacchus), who retaliated
by causing vines to grow over the ship's masts
and turning the oars into serpents. The pirates
were so terrified they jumped into the sea. But
Dionysus took pity on them and turned them into
dolphins, "so that they would spend their lives
providing help for those in need."
Play Time!
Island Dolphin Care was founded by Deena and
Pete Hoagland in the early 1990s after seeing
the positive effect of dolphins on their young
son, who was disabled by a stroke. "We don't suggest
that dolphins can cure or heal, but we use the
excitement of the dolphins to motivate kids to
try new things," explains Pete Hoagland. Programs
run March through November and draw participants
from around the world. Financial aid is available.
For more information, visit the Web site at www.islanddolphincare.org
or call (305) 451-5884.
Swimming with dolphins is thought to have a therapeutic effect on individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities. Studies have documented immune system improvement, faster learning, pain relief, improved mood, increased attention span, improved motor skills and coordination, and changes in brain waves and blood chemistry after a dolphin swim.
Why? Theories range from the joy caused by playing with these gentle, intelligent creatures to the possibility that dolphin sonar causes actual physical changes in human tissue.
IDC programs are family-oriented and siblings
aren't left out of the fun. At left, Jimmy's younger
brother, Anthony, helps hold a bar for Sarah to
leap over.
Choosing a Dolphin Program
