BFFs: For a 10-Year-Old Battling Cancer, a Golden Retriever Is a Girl’s Best Friend

“He’s calm at bedtime. He likes to snuggle with me. And serious when he wears his harness,” says fifth grader Naomi Wood of her service dog Elroy. And when that harness goes on, adds her mom, Astrid Storm, “he’s all business.”

Ten-year-old Naomi is two years into her recovery from a form of brain cancer called medulloblastoma, with which she was diagnosed in 2022. Post surgery and treatment at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Hospital, which included chemo, Naomi faced lasting speech and mobility challenges. Determined to move forward in her life, Naomi is taking things one step at a time, with her golden retriever, Elroy, by her side.

“This is a chronic thing. [Naomi] is not going to walk unaided,” says her father, Andrew Wood, who also clarified that his daughter is cancer-free and already gotten a little bit better.

Elroy, a service dog trained by ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities), has empowered his new friend with the confidence to return to school and feel comfortable navigating public spaces. “ECAD’s mission is to train and place exceptional service dogs with people with disabilities, helping them live with greater independence, confidence, and connection. Through expert training and a deep commitment to each team’s success, we empower individuals and strengthen communities—one paw at a time,” says Carrie Picard, ECAD’s executive director.

Says Astrid, “My husband was looking online at walking assistance, and he came across service dogs being used for balance. One thing led to another, and we found ECAD. I started an application, and here we are.”

Andrew went on to explain why he chose a service dog: “Speed has to be modulated. You can’t go too slow or too fast. A dog helps with both balance and speed. And so that’s why [a dog] was much better than a wheelchair or a walker.”

Naomi’s parents acknowledge that the heartwarming bond between Naomi and her four-legged friend, who joined the family in mid-December 2025, has reignited her joy and given their child back a sense of normalcy.

After her initial interview with ECAD, Naomi trained for two weeks to learn how to work with a service dog that knows 80 commands. “It’s intense,” says Astrid.

Andrew, who stayed with his daughter for the entire 14-days and participated in the training, explained: “We stayed in a dorm. [ECAD] typically doesn’t train kids to do it by themselves. They want an adult handler trained as well.”

“It’s a serious responsibility,” added Astrid. But those at ECAD felt Naomi could do it. “It’s a lot to handle a dog, isn’t it?” Astrid asked her daughter. “But you’re doing it,” to which Naomi nodded with pride.

“From the moment Elroy met Naomi, I knew they would be a match. Elroy’s patience and steadiness with her, and Naomi’s bright smile and laughter around him, were all I needed to see to match them together. They balance each other out in ways that you can’t explain,” says Jess Fitzgerald, ECAD’s lead trainer.

Astrid agrees and remembers the first time she saw her child with her new best friend. “It was the most wonderful thing. I showed up a few days into the training. They were already like this,” she says, intertwining her index and middle fingers. “They were meant to be together. It just warmed my heart.”

Andrew’s reaction to seeing Naomi with Elroy was equally positive, but his first thoughts were more about the future. “I’m not looking at a 10-year-old girl so much as a 14- or 15-year-old who’ll want privacy going to go on dates. At 15 or 16, she can’t have a person helping her, and a dog doesn’t blab about your secrets. She can have autonomy with a dog. That’s what really is great about it for me.”

Astrid says she’s already seeing progress since Elroy’s been part of the family. “Naomi is just a lot more independent.”

In late February/early March, Elroy will be accompanying Naomi to school—from getting on the bus at the beginning of the day until the end. The process will begin over winter break when students are not in the building, and the dog can get used to the layout and specifically Naomi’s classroom. The other fifth graders require education about what a service dog is.

Says Astrid, “The challenge is for kids not to get excited because he’s a working dog.” To help with that, Elroy wears signs, which Naomi points out read, “Don’t pet and do not distract.”

She also shared some advice for other kids considering a service dog: “The dogs are really nice. They really help.”

The bright and determined pre-teen is moving forward in her life, looking ahead to summer camp—“especially sleepaway.”

When asked if Elroy was hers to keep forever, she offered an empathic “Yes.”

Now, not only does Naomi Wood have a supportive family, which also includes a 14-year-old brother, but a furry best friend for life.