Daniel's Seizure Service Dog Fund
Donation protected
My name is Cyndi Edwards, my husband of 26 years, Wade, who is currently deployed with the U.S. Air Force and I have two children, Jessica 24 and Daniel 20. I work in elder care and Wade is a Master Sargeant, full time Air National Guard, stationed in Birmingham, Alabama. Jessica is a student at UAB in Birmingham, AL, working toward a nursing degree, Daniel is a student at Briar Cliff University, Sioux City, IA, on wrestling and academic scholarship, working on a degree in sports management with dreams of going on to a Phd in Physical Therapy some day.
In March 2014, Daniel was diagnosed with Myoclonic Epilepsy when he began having grand-mal seizures during the second semester of his freshman year in college. Doctor's were initially very hopeful that Daniel's seizures would be easily controlled by medication, but now, 2 years and many medication adjustments later, Daniel continues to have frequent seizures. Daniel needs more help than just medication can provide, he needs a Service Dog trained in seizure response to help keep him safe and to give him a chance at the independent future he imagined before Epilepsy became a part of our lives. Daniel has suffered seizures alone several times which has lead to injury, he has had falls in parking lots and into furniture with no one with him to assist or protect him. He also has moments of confusion and being unable to speak intelligible following his seizures when he has wandered into stair wells and onto the wrong floor of his campus dorm. A seizure trained Service Dog responds to a seizure, physically protects during convulsions, comforts and protects after convulsion and barks to notify others in the area of the need for help.
The initial down payment to contract for a trained Service Dog is $5,500, the dog is not chosen and training does not start until that amount is provided to the trainer. I would like to be able to submit that to the trainer no later than March 1. Training takes approximately 18 months, with another $10,000 due during that period before Daniel would be able to take his Service Dog home. My goal is to be able to have a Service Dog trained and ready to assist Daniel with independent life soon after he graduates college in the summer of 2017.
This would mean our son would never have to experience a seizure alone and unprotected again, which means more to me than words can possibly express. This is a campaign for our son, but now knowing the difference this could make for our child, we will never stop campaigning to help others like Daniel who need the kind of help only a Service Dog can provide.
In March 2014, Daniel was diagnosed with Myoclonic Epilepsy when he began having grand-mal seizures during the second semester of his freshman year in college. Doctor's were initially very hopeful that Daniel's seizures would be easily controlled by medication, but now, 2 years and many medication adjustments later, Daniel continues to have frequent seizures. Daniel needs more help than just medication can provide, he needs a Service Dog trained in seizure response to help keep him safe and to give him a chance at the independent future he imagined before Epilepsy became a part of our lives. Daniel has suffered seizures alone several times which has lead to injury, he has had falls in parking lots and into furniture with no one with him to assist or protect him. He also has moments of confusion and being unable to speak intelligible following his seizures when he has wandered into stair wells and onto the wrong floor of his campus dorm. A seizure trained Service Dog responds to a seizure, physically protects during convulsions, comforts and protects after convulsion and barks to notify others in the area of the need for help.
The initial down payment to contract for a trained Service Dog is $5,500, the dog is not chosen and training does not start until that amount is provided to the trainer. I would like to be able to submit that to the trainer no later than March 1. Training takes approximately 18 months, with another $10,000 due during that period before Daniel would be able to take his Service Dog home. My goal is to be able to have a Service Dog trained and ready to assist Daniel with independent life soon after he graduates college in the summer of 2017.
This would mean our son would never have to experience a seizure alone and unprotected again, which means more to me than words can possibly express. This is a campaign for our son, but now knowing the difference this could make for our child, we will never stop campaigning to help others like Daniel who need the kind of help only a Service Dog can provide.
Organizer and beneficiary
Cyndi Edwards
Organizer
Pell City, AL
Daniel Edwards
Beneficiary