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The Best Adventure · Canyon Grant

Barbara Henry

Barbara Henry

I am Barbara Henry, Executive Director of Domino Service Dogs, a nonprofit dedicated to changing lives through highly trained service dogs. My work is deeply personal. I have survived profound trauma, loss, and disability, including a traumatic brain injury that changed the course of my life. I also lost my daughter, Caitlin, after years of severe pain and struggle. Those experiences could have broken me. Instead, they taught me resilience, compassion, and the importance of never giving up on people who are hurting. Through Domino Service Dogs, I have built a community that helps individuals and families facing disability, trauma, PTSD, medical challenges, and isolation. We do not just train dogs—we create hope, connection, independence, and a reason to keep moving forward. I know what it is like to feel unseen, overwhelmed, and alone. That is why I fight so hard for every person and every dog that comes through our doors. I believe healing does not happen in isolation. It happens through connection, trust, and being reminded that you matter. Adventure Grant support would not simply help me continue this work—it would help expand it. It would allow Domino Service Dogs to reach more people who are struggling, train more life-changing dogs, and build a future where no one has to face their hardest days alone. My story is not just about survival. It is about turning pain into purpose, grief into action, and creating something powerful enough to change lives.

Turning Pain into Purpose: The Domino Effect of Healing

The Story of Resilience My name is Barbara Henry, and my journey is one defined by the intersection of profound loss and the discovery of an unbreakable spirit. After surviving a traumatic brain injury and the heartbreaking loss of my daughter, Caitlin, I was faced with a choice: to be consumed by grief or to build a bridge for others walking through the dark. I chose to build.
I founded Domino Service Dogs, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting those who, like me, have felt unseen and overwhelmed by disability, PTSD, and medical challenges.

Why This Grant Matters The Canyon Grant is more than just a travel fund; it is an investment in restorative adventure. For someone managing a traumatic brain injury or chronic trauma, the vast, quiet permanence of the Grand Canyon offers a unique form of sensory and emotional healing.

Winning this award would make the following possible:

  • Expansion of Reach: The visibility from this grant helps us connect with more individuals in need of life-changing service dogs.
  • The "Adventure Effect": It allows me to demonstrate that disability does not mean the end of adventure. By documenting this journey, I can show our community that we can still occupy space in the world’s most awe-inspiring places.
  • Direct Impact: Every resource saved through this grant is a resource redirected toward training dogs that provide independence and hope to those facing their hardest days alone.
Who Benefits? While I would be the one standing at the rim, the benefit ripples through the entire Domino Service Dogs community.

  1. Individuals with Disabilities: They gain a leader who is recharged and ready to fight for their independence.
  2. Trauma Survivors: They see a lived example of turning "survival" into "thriving."
  3. The Service Dogs: Increased awareness leads to more support for the rigorous training these animals undergo to save lives.
"Healing does not happen in isolation. It happens through connection, trust, and being reminded that you matter."

Support for this application isn't just about a trip to the canyon; it’s about proving that even after the most devastating storms, we can still reach the summit.