A Welsh widow has seen the legacy of her late husband continued through Guide Dogs, as she was emotionally reunited with the Golden Retriever named in memory of her late husband, along with a litter of 10 puppies.
Sandra Corben was reunited with Corby, the guide dog she once raised, along with his first litter of pups, during what turned out to be an incredibly poignant week.
The timing couldn’t have been more meaningful – it fell during the same week Sandra would have celebrated 48 years of marriage to her late husband.
Neil, who everyone knew as Corby, passed away in 2013 aged 57, following a lengthy fight against non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
The puppy who would carry his name came about through a touching gesture from Neil’s mother, who left money to Guide Dogs’ “Name a Puppy” scheme when she died in 2021.
“It made me so proud to see Neil’s legacy continued through these puppies, who might one day go on to become life-changing guide dogs,” Sandra said.
“It was very special and so lovely to see my grandpups.”
Sandra took on the role of raising young Corby, guiding him through his early development as a potential companion for someone with sight loss.
Sandra Corben was reunited with Corby, the guide dog she once raised, along with his first litter of pups, this week
After caring for him for just over a year, she had to say a difficult farewell in August 2023 when the organisation selected him for a particularly special role – becoming a guide dog dad.
At the time, Sandra had no idea whether their paths would ever cross again.
Sandra travelled to Northamptonshire to meet the litter – five boys and five girls – and describes it as an incredibly emotional experience.
“It was all extremely happy in memory of Neil,” she said. “Corby realised it was me and he was all over me – he jumped up, was licking me, then rolled over when he realised who I was! He’s more handsome than ever.
It fell during the same week Sandra would have celebrated 48 years of marriage to her late husband, Neil, passed away in 2013 aged 57, following a lengthy fight against non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
“There was one puppy in the litter in particular who reminded me of Corby,” Sandra explained. “We decided to call her Cheeky. She wanted to get in everywhere; she would push past the other pups to get to you.”
Sandra credits her volunteer work with Guide Dogs for helping her cope after losing Neil, saying it “saved” her through her grief.
Corby’s impact is already growing, with a second litter arriving just last Friday – this time one boy and five girls, some of whom could themselves become guide dog parents one day.
Sandra has now raised nine puppies in total for Guide Dogs, helping them on their journey to becoming life-changing companions for people with visual impairments.
“It certainly went well with Corby,” she said. “He made it as a guide dog dad – the highest accolade they can give – so I was thrilled!”
Looking to the future, Sandra hopes to raise one of Corby’s own offspring once she’s recovered from an upcoming hip operation.
“I can request a Corby puppy for me to raise myself,” she said. “So I hope to have the son or daughter of Corby, to continue the legacy.”