Edenderry’s Nisha is 'County Champion' for Dogs for the Disabled

Edenderry's Nisha Miller and her beloved support dog Phoenix have been named Offaly County Champion for the Dogs for The Disabled Charity.

The Dogs for The Disabled County Champions is a nationwide campaign to spread the word and raise vital funds for their life-changing work for people with limited mobility.

Nisha was adopted from Sri Lanka by her parents Jenny Miller, and former rugby international Eric Miller in 2014. She had a diagnosis of closed lip schizencephaly (a type of Cerebral Palsy).

She was unable to walk and had been in the orphanage from ten days old.

“We began a big fundraising campaign in 2017 to get Nisha a groundbreaking surgery in the USA. In May 2018 we headed to Saint Louis where Nisha had her surgery and many months of rehabilitation followed,” Jenny said.

“It was a great success and she began to walk with the help of a walking frame and leg splints.”

The Miller family moved to Edenderry in 2019, as Eric was coaching Edenderry RFC. He then began working in the health care in 2020 during the pandemic.

Nisha’s health journey was still a work in progress for the family, until one day they were introduced to Dogs for the Disabled.

“A chance meeting with a mom from Cork at a soccer practice with the line I will never forget 'have you heard about the dogs?' set us on the path to Cork and to Dogs for the Disabled.

“It was there that we met Phoenix - the missing link in Nisha’s life. He has given her more then we ever dreamed of. That feeling for her is something that has spurred her on.”

Now Nisha and Phoenix are set to complete a 3k sponsored walk in Tullamore Park on St Stephen's Day at 1pm to raise funds for the cause that changed her life. Jenny said: “Walking with Phoenix supports her in physically improving her core strength. Walking him everyday is not a chore for Nisha and she is excited about the future.

“She dreams of working with the Dogs for the Disabled team to assist other children with limited capacities.”

To donate to Nisha and Phoenix's fundraiser, go to: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/phoenixnisha

To find out more about Dogs for the Disabled, go to: https://dogsfordisabled.ie/