Incredible Woman, a Hero and an Amazing Service Dog to be Featured in Movie

Nonprofit organization raises awareness for debilitating disease and animal rescue

For Immediate Release, Vail, COLO.―Dr. Diane Dike and her service dog, Gracie, found each other through the most debilitating  circumstances.

“Our goal is to encourage all to overcome their challenges with faith, hope and love,” said Dike, who was diagnosed at age 23 with cryoglobulinemia vasculitis, a rare and incurable autoimmune disease that causes the blood to turn to sludge in stress, if she stands or sits with her feet hanging down and in cold temperatures.

In the course of overcoming her circumstances, Dike sought to comfort a broken Italian greyhound that she adopted and named, “Gracie.” The tiny puppy had no home and needed surgery for two broken legs, broken ribs and a ripped off tail. It wasn’t long before Gracie rescued Diane right back and she’s been saving her daily ever since. Snuggling Gracie keeps Diane’s blood warm and freely flowing, thus keeping her alive.

Both were once homeless, hopeless and facing serious physical, mental and emotional challenges. Both persevered to overcome their daunting challenges and discovered life was very much worth living.

“We rescued each other,” Dike said. “We each got a second chance.”

Out of their experience came the formation of Second Chance with Saving Grace, a nonprofit organization that reaches out to people and animals who are hurting through a variety of books, informative websites, presentations and engagements including an appearance on Oprah’s OWN “Mystery Diagnosis” The Woman Whose Legs Turned Black, prayer, and handing out Love Kits to those who need a little hope in their lives. For more information about the ministry, visit the Second Chance with Saving Grace website listed below.

Photos and interviews available upon request.

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Founder/President of Second Chance with Saving Grace, Inc., a non-profit organization helping hurting people and animals. Her motto, "no human or animal left behind." Everyone has a place to share their gifts and talents at Second Chance with Saving Grace, it's never too late to be all you can be. Together the best is yet to be!

Wake Up Call X3~McCartney, FCA, Diane Dike, Ph.D.

http://www.promisekeepers.org/home/wake-up-call---parker-co/?goMotive=IA95-2WUC

Come join us for the "Wake Up Call X3" with McCartney, Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Jeff Hutcheon and motivational speaker Diane Dike, Ph.D.

"Promise Keepers is urgent about bringing God's people together at this critical time," said McCartney. "We are pleased to gather with other ministries to rally entire families for what God has planned."

Vail-based Dr. Diane Dike (founder of Second Chance with Saving Grace, www.dianedike.com) will also speak. "Current economic stress and spiritual emptiness urge us to come together," said Dike. "It's never too late for men, women and youth to be all God created them to be and use their gifts to glorify God." Dike is also co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Spiritual Tsunami project.

The "Wake Up Call X3" begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Southeast Christian Church, 9650

Embracing Brokenness

By Diane Dike, Ph.D. - award-winning speaker, singer, author

My body went numb as I collapsed into the chair. The doctor’s mouth moved, but I heard nothing. He stammered, “Are you alright?” I had no answer.

Pain became my constant companion at the age of twenty-three. I had no idea what "Cryoglobulinemia" meant or even how to pronounce it. The words, "incurable, life threatening, chronic" overwhelmed me. The way I looked at the world and my purpose for living changed in an instant.

Prior to the mysterious diagnosis, at 19 I married my high school sweetheart, became a special needs teacher, church youth leader and coached swimming and track. We realized personal and professional dreams, while making a difference in young people’s lives, even as I sang for thousands at a popular theme park. We had big goals and plans.

One terrible Friday in 1990, a severe pain stabbed my left hip. Later my left foot began to ache with two red spots on the arch. Sunday I stepped out of bed and fell to the floor. While crawling for help I noticed that my left foot had doubled in size and was hot to the touch. My husband rushed me to the emergency room where I was prescribed painkillers, crutches, rest and ice. I would later discover that icing was the worst possible treatment and the painkillers only aggravated symptoms.

Each week a new body part became swollen and covered in hives, rashes, or red/hot spots. Poked and prodded by specialists and admitted to hospitals every few weeks, they tested for lupus, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis and AIDS... Concerned about the possibility of gangrene, two doctors contemplated amputation of my peculiar legs.

When the attacks came on with sudden vengeance, all I could do was helplessly watch my body deteriorate. Flu-like symptoms made working, socializing, shopping, and performing the simplest of daily chores excruciating. In addition, insomnia and the gnawing pain of fibromyalgia that began when I was 15 became more intense. Deep sorrow, weeping and anguish ripped all hope from my being. I cried out, “God, help me!” As if I was dragging around a thousand pound ball of shame, no matter how hard I tried to kick it away, it shackled me and plunged my life into ruin.

On Tuesday, May 11, 1993, the University of South Florida hosted a conference for the world’s leading physicians in the field of rare and difficult to diagnose diseases. Invited to participate, I was told to keep a journal of my symptoms. One doctor after another examined my body and studied my file. My symptoms got worse right before their eyes, and in the end, the group ordered a specialized blood test. I was sent home to wait for the results, again.

Almost three years after those two red spots first appeared on my foot, the doctors concluded that I suffered from a rare, incurable blood disease called CRYOGLOBULINEMIA, cryo-cold, globul-clotting, anemia-blood. It’s an excruciating autoimmune blood clotting disorder that destroys vital organs and gets worse when I’m stressed, sitting with my feet dangling down or my body gets cold. They also confirmed vasculitis (the hurting disease), purpura and Raynaud’s Phenomenon with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the list grows on. I was told to minimize all exposure to the cold and avoid ANYTHING that inflames the potentially life-threatening symptoms.

Even though I felt relief over finally getting a diagnosis, I detached because a fulfilling life now seemed impossible. I sunk into a deep depression and lost everything that mattered. My divorce and subsequent homelessness led to suicide attempts and confinement in a psychiatric hospital. I could only see these diseases as a source of never ending agony. I didn’t know how to accept or ask for help. I prayed for death to come quickly and I didn’t care how, “Just make this pain end.”

In complete despair, God answered me by directing my focus from my misery to Jesus and His promises for my life. The Bible taught me that peace, protection, good health, wholeness, and provision could be mine despite the storm that surrounded me. One day I made the choice to leave behind old behaviors, thoughts, and labels. Embracing my second chance at God’s saving grace and the opportunity to live my life well, in spite of my dire health problems.

Prayer and Bible reading led me to find refuge from my worldly distress and incredible changes occurred. The truth of God’s Word sank in, and whenever I felt fear, I starved it with faith. The song of my heart returned and helped to combat the battlefield in my mind. One song especially ministered to me: “Take My Hand and Walk,” by Jean Luc Lajoie. With this encouragement, I dispelled the devil’s claims that I was, “Alone, unlovable, deserved to be sick, God was made at me and the world would be better off without me...” During this profound time with God, my hope was restored and old dreams were replaced by new ones. Embracing brokenness, I saw my life as God saw it—worthy to be lived.

God helped me survive the darkness so I can be a light to help others find their way. He likes to breath life through the most unlikely of candidates. Whereas my brokenness once dragged me into the pit, it now lifts me up into the open arms of a loving God who has an important purpose and plan for each life. The disease hasn't left yet, but sometimes wellness doesn’t mean the absence of sickness. By letting my mess become my message and my tests become my testimony, day by day, I’m an overcomer!

Five years ago I rescued a broken dog, and she rescued me back by becoming the world's first rescued Italian Greyhound Service Dog helping a woman with an incurable blood disease. She has many tasks that help me more safely participate in life. Together we go where no woman and dog have gone before. We visit prisons, schools, orphanages, hospitals, ... wherever we are invited to share our message of hope. And I haven’t been hospitalized since I rescued her, a true miracle.

Since few are acquainted with the illness, I’ve written several books including: Gracie Comes Home and God Made Only One of Me, developed a web site, www.DianeDike.org to inform and help, as well as an outreach non-profit organization called Second Chance with Saving Grace. I’m strong and courageous in spite of persistent challenges because I’ve learned the key to happiness: focusing not on myself but on the needs of others, just as Jesus did.

Paws Up to Graci​e and Diane​ Appea​ring on TV 8 to Unvei​l Their​ Spani​sh Book in Time for Cinco​ de Mayo

Paws Up to Graci​e and Diane​ Appea​ring on TV 8 to Unvei​l Their​ Spani​sh Book in Time for Cinco​ de Mayo

For Immed​iate Relea​se by Secon​d Chanc​e with Savin​g Grace​,​ Inc. April​ 25, 2008-​Graci​e and Diane​ Dike,​ Ph.​D.​ join Trici​a Swens​on,​ Execu​tive Produ​cer and Host of TV8 today​ on, "​Good Morni​ng Vail"​ to revea​l their​ lates​t book.​ Their​ inspi​ratio​nal story​ conti​nues to amaze​ viewe​rs and anima​l lover​s of all ages.​ Now, Book One in The Adven​tures​ of Graci​e and Diane​ serie​s,​ Graci​e Comes​ Home,​ is avail​able in Spani​sh.​ This dynam​ic duo will retur​n for a follo​w up inter​view on Frida​y,​ May 2, at 8:12 a.m.


Book One intro​duces​ Graci​e,​ the adora​ble Itali​an Greyh​ound,​ where​ she came from,​ and how she ended​ up homel​ess needi​ng surge​ry in a Color​ado anima​l hospi​tal.​ It also intro​duces​ her lovin​g owner​,​ Diane​ Dike,​ who suffe​rs from cryog​lobul​inemi​a,​ a rare incur​able and life threa​tenin​g blood​ disea​se that affec​ts every​ aspec​t of her life.​ A deep and affec​tiona​te bond of frien​dship​ is forme​d in this trium​phant​ story​ where​ a broke​n dog and strug​gling​ woman​ save each other​.​


The Spani​sh versi​on,​ relea​sed just in time for Cinco​ de Mayo is sure to warm the heart​s of anima​l lover​s of all ages.​ Graci​e and Diane​ will be appea​ring Satur​day,​ May 3, from 10 a.​m.​-​ 4 p.m. at Freed​om Park,​ 450 Mille​r Ranch​ Road,​ Edwar​ds,​ Color​ado,​ for the Cinco​ de Mayo celeb​ratio​n.​ Meet the autho​r,​ enjoy​ story​-​time and an “Imag​inati​on Stati​on” to creat​e cards​ for hospi​taliz​ed child​ren or our troop​s.​ A FREE bag of Natur​al Planet© ORGAN​IC dog food,​ a bone shape​d magne​t,​ and a five-​dolla​r gift certi​ficat​e for PawsU​pPetS​upply​.​com (​Graci​e and Diane​'​s offic​ial spons​or)​ will be given​ to the first​ twent​y famil​ies who buy a book.​


If you’d​ like more infor​matio​n about​ the outre​ach work of Secon​d Chanc​e with Savin​g Grace​,​ or to sched​ule an inter​view with Diane​ Dike,​ pleas​e call 970-​372-​7105 or email​ Diane​ at Diane​Dike@​aol.​com

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Secon​d Chanc​e with Savin​g Grace​,​ Inc. a Non-​profi​t org.
PO Box 673
Eagle​,​ CO 81631​
www.DianeDike.com

Dike going to the dogs for book signing, but will Gracie steal the show?

For immediate release: April 13, 2008
Colorado author Diane Dike, Ph.D., will headline the Colorado Pet Expo at the Denver Merchandise Mart April 18-20th. While at the expo, Dike will be signing copies of her series-based book Gracie Comes Home and highlighting her courageous story that will break and warm the hearts of readers while inspiring them to overcome even the most daunting of challenges. Her "partner in paws" (and the star of the book) Gracie will also be on hand during the event.

Gracie is a 7lb Italian Greyhound Service Dog (a one-of-a-kind) that not only warms the heart of everyone she comes in contact with, but also (literally) warms her human companion Diane, who suffers from Cryoglobulinemia. The rare, blood clotting bone disease causes Diane to suffer from a wide-range of symptoms such as joint swelling, muscle aches, sores on her body and depression just to name a few. Gracie serves not only as a canine body warmer when Dike needs her body temperature raised, but also serves to assist Dike with other tasks as a typical service dog would. The team will be available to sign autographs and Diane will offer heart-warming stories around the day-to-day battle and survival of this one time athlete who hasn't let this disability slow her down, physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Diane will also be previewing her soon-to-be-released (July 2008) autobiography God Made Only One of Me, which details her rise and fall, and her unmistakable will to fight on, despite her physical adversities. "I was diagnosed with a rare, incurable, life-threatening blood disease and became homeless. I lost everything that meant anything to me. But I've come through the storm, back from the land of the dead to the land of the living. I am so thankful for my life that I travel the country sharing my adversities and how I daily overcome with a smile, a service dog and a second chance," states Dike. "Being at the Colorado Pet Expo is a special treat for me, since I live right here in Colorado. Gracie and I won't have to travel far to talk about our message of hope and survival."

Dike and her husband Paul are the co-founders of Second Chance with Saving Grace, a non-profit organization designed to offer up Diane's message of hope to all who will listen, but more importantly, schools, hospitals and churches across Colorado and the nation. All proceeds from the sale of the books God Made Only One of Me and all monies raised are returned to the organization to continue the mission of the program. The booth at the Denver Pet Expo is sponsored by PawsUpPetSupply.com – a Denver, CO based retailer of pet supplies who has sponsored many of Second Chance’s efforts in 2008.

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Editors: Diane is available for interviews prior to the event and can also be available if a reporter attends the Expo. Please call Marc Lemay at 978-434-1233 for advance scheduling.