The special bond between Retired Major Archie Douglas, from North Berwick, and his Bravehoundassistance dog, Cocoa, has been recognised by a UK armed forces award.
The Soldiering On Awards acknowledge, honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals and groups in the Armed Forces community.
Archie and Cocoa won the Animal Partnership category at a special award ceremony in London last week (Wednesday 22nd October).
Archie, whose service included tours of Afghanistan, served with the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers for 20 years, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2013 and given only three years to live.
Surgery for the tumour resulted in a disorder called SMART syndrome. Brought on by the radiotherapy treatment he was given, the syndrome causes a whole range of neurological problems. Archie now also suffers from epilepsy.
However, thanks to his BRAVEHOUND assistance and alert dog Cocoa, a spaniel specially trained by the Scottish charity, Archie is able to go out and about independently. Cocoa is trained to attract attention and help if Archie is in distress.
Not only has Archie outlived his diagnosis, over the last 12 years he has raised £50,700 for six charities, more than £30,000 of which has been donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Archie said of Cocoa: “She has changed my life. She is trained to alert people when my brain trips. I can collapse in a heap and several times if I hadn’t made it to hospital I wouldn’t be here now. Her job is to call for help as quickly as possible.
"Having a BRAVEHOUND-trained dog like Cocoa enables veterans like myself to get out and to become a productive member of society - to have a life, to live a life."
Fiona MacDonald, BRAVEHOUND’s founder and CEO said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Archie and Cocoa are the winners. Together they make an incredible team and are an inspiration to everyone around them."