Katie Harris, 38, was born with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a rare disease of the connective tissue that causes overly flexible joints; easily-bruised, elastic skin; and fragile organs. Although she began to show symptoms of the syndrome in high school, she wasn’t diagnosed until she was 31.
She said in 2011 a team of physicians at Mayo Clinic finally diagnosed her. Last year her health declined to the point where she was wheelchair-bound.
Over the years Harris, who is a social worker at Blue Valley West High School, has lost vision in her right eye, lost feeling in her arms and legs, suffered burning pain throughout her body, and began having seizures. She was forced to wear a neck brace because the ligaments were not holding her neck up and she was compressing her brain stem as well as the main artery that leads up to the brain.
Two months ago, she had surgery for the latter and is recovering well. She said she now wears the neck brace off and on, and with the help of a walking device is able to walk for short periods.
Last year, she became obsessed with getting a dog because she said she fell in love with her father’s goldendoodle. So she acquired a mini-goldendoodle as a companion dog and named her Moxie, because the word “moxie” means the ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.
She began working with the American Service Dog Association (ASDA) in St. Louis, where Harris was raised in the Jewish community, to train Moxie as a service dog. Moxie now accompanies Harris everywhere.
Just a little over a year old, Moxie is close to completing her training. She retrieves objects dropped on the floor, gets water for Harris from the refrigerator, opens doors and is able to alert to seizures, Harris said.
“Just keeping my focus on something else and having Moxie there with me has kept me going on my really down days,” she said.
Because she has benefited so much from her service dog, Harris started Moxie’s Mission. Their mission is to provide education and knowledge of service dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support dogs, as well as provide assistance for others in need of a service dog.
Those needing a service dog often need funds to acquire and train the dog. Moxie’s Mission is raising funds to help pay for fully trained service dogs for those who qualify through an extensive qualification process through ASDA to ensure a proper match. She said it’s her way of “paying it forward.”
So Harris is organizing Moxie’s Mission’s first fundraiser, “6-Legged Relay Fun Run.” The race, which she hopes will be the first of many, will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 20, at Bar K Dog Bar, 501 Berkley Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri (located under the Heart of America Bridge on the shore of the Missouri River.)
Each relay team will be comprised of five people and at least one dog. The first four legs of the run is .75 of a mile; the last leg is .92 of a mile. Dogs will run the race with their owners.
Cost for the relay run is $25 per person. All money raised at the 6-Legged Relay Fun Run will go to the ASDA, a nonprofit organization of professional dog trainers dedicated to the training and placement of service dogs for people with disabilities such as spinal cord injuries, arthritis, deafness, multiple sclerosis and many other physical impairments, autism as well as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). The organization does not receive any government funding.
Early registration is recommended so Harris will have enough T-shirts, medals, etc., on hand. Go to runsignup.com/moxiesmission to sign up for the run or to make a donation.
Following the run, there will be awards, music, games and activities. Harris hopes to include either a dog talent show or dog costume competition from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. More details will be posted on the website, adventureswithmoxie.com, later.
Harris said a recipient has already been chosen and paired with her new service dog. So far, they have raised $5,000, but need to raise $10,000 more from the run and additional donations to completely pay for Athos, a yellow Labrador. To learn all about the first recipient, go to adventureswithmoxie.com/moxie-s-missions and scroll down to “Meet the 1st Recipient.”
In addition to Moxie’s training as a service dog, she is learning to be a therapy dog at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Harris said she and Moxie will eventually visit other hospitals, nursing homes, etc. as a community service.
“I want people to see Moxie’s Mission as something you don’t really need money for, but just finding ways that you can pay it forward and make a difference in somebody else’s life,” Harris said.
Harris plans to do some public speaking about her journey “because I’ve suffered a lot. There were times I didn’t think I wanted to go on. I never would do anything to hurt myself, but it was a challenge — it’s about resiliency and overcoming different obstacles,” she explained.
“But also I’m educating people on service dogs and therapy and support dogs, showing the difference on each and how each one is valuable in its own way,” she said.
Throughout her journey, Harris has clung to a Stephen Hawking quote: “When there’s life, there’s still hope.” Hawking suffered with ALS for many years.
You can find more information about Moxie’s Mission on Facebook at facebook.com/adventureswithmoxie and Instagram at adventures_with_moxie.
