By Jane Corscadden

Copyright belfastlive

A man from Co Tyrone said his trusty guide dog helped him to return to full health after he donated a kidney to his sister. Sean Harpur, 60, is celebrating his recovery and has credited his guide dog Bennie for helping him get back on his feet. Last week, Sean and Bennie joined the Friends of the Glens walking group to scale Mullaghcarn , a 1,778ft peak in the Sperrin Mountains. For Sean, the climb marked a milestone, as not only was he helping to raise awareness ahead of organ donation week, the successful summit was proof he was finally back to his best. The Omagh man said Bennie has encouraged him to get back out. He added: “I couldn’t walk him for two months after the operation, but as soon as I was on my feet again, he was at the front door ready for our walks. He just loves it. As soon as I take the harness out, he’ll stretch and he’s ready to go!” Sean’s journey with sight loss began decades earlier, and his connection to Guide Dogs runs deep. “My journey with Guide Dogs began with my grandfather. He had four guide dogs in his lifetime, starting back in the 80s. I always knew the benefits of them and seen them first-hand, but because my grandfather had no vision, I always thought you had to be totally blind to get access to a guide dog.” After years of deteriorating sight, Sean eventually applied for a Guide Dog but initially received training with a long cane. He said: “I almost felt that was like a stigma. I didn’t want to be seen with the white cane in those early days. But it gave me great confidence, and from there Guide Dogs spent over two years assessing me. They told me even with some vision you can apply for a dog and felt I’d be a good candidate.” When he was finally matched with Bennie, Sean admits he was nervous about bonding. “Because I lost my other dog I was kind of worrying about how I was going to bond with a new dog. At that time I thought I couldn’t manage it – it was so much to take in. But Bennie just bonded with me right away. We became great friends from the start.” Life with Bennie has been transformative. Sean has even moved into Omagh town so they can walk together every day. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Now having Bennie to take me from my door for a half-hour walk into the centre of town is just amazing. He never misses any down steps or up steps. The training and the intelligence is amazing. He’s full-time just looking after me.” That bond was tested when Sean donated a kidney to his sister, Ann, earlier this year. He said: “Although he likes other people, when I was in the hospital they were telling me he was looking for me in the house. Since then, if I leave for even half an hour, he’s at the front door. He was a great emotional support during my recovery – a great companion to have in the house.” Now back to health, Sean continues to live life to the full with Bennie. Together they travel across Northern Ireland by bus and train, visit family in Belfast, and even took an overnight ferry to Liverpool. “He just loves people. And people all love Bennie. He’s become like a wee star around Omagh.” Sean has also dedicated his energy to fundraising and campaigning. Through annual New Year’s Day walks up local mountains such as Bessy Bell, he has raised thousands for Guide Dogs – even naming a pup after one of the peaks. He also campaigns tirelessly for better rural transport links. “My campaign is to bring the bus stop into the centre of Gortin Glen Forest Park. That would help people like myself and anybody else with mobility issues to get out there.” Reflecting on his journey, Sean says: “It’s just amazing what Bennie does for me. An optician once said to me, ‘It’s great to see your lovely dog – that’s your extra eyes.’ And that’s exactly it. Bennie is my extra eyes and I have just full confidence in him. I want to thank Guide Dogs, and everyone who worked with Bennie from when he was born. I’m just so lucky to have him.” To find out more and discover the life-enriching services provided by Guide Dogs, head to: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/ . For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.