Donate to help fund my service dog

Hi, my name is Kristin and I'm fundraising to have money to get a fully-trained service dog.

I've been walking through some really hard times recently. I was diagnosed with PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety and panic disorder. This is resulting from a traumatic event I survived as a child.

In the last couple of years, my mental health has taken a physical toll on my body. After a trip to the hospital and extensive testing, I was diagnosed with conversion disorder, also known as functional neurological disorder (FND). This means that I am experiencing physical symptoms as a result of trauma. I have muscle weakness to the point where I need a walker most of the time to get around. I have moments where I am physically incapable of speaking, and I frequently have collapsing episodes where I am completely paralyzed for hours at a time. There are a few treatment options for FND, but they take time.

I have spoken to my healthcare team and we've reached a decision that one way to make this journey to recovery more manageable is to have a service dog. I've done my research, and the different paths to obtaining a dog are not easy. Most locations are out of state and require a lot of traveling with long wait times to even be considered to receive a dog (averaging at 2-3 years). Miraculously, there is a service dog training facility that is local and with a very minimal wait time.

I am beginning the application process with them to be matched with a service dog, however, this is a for-profit organization. They are asking about $30,000 for the dog. This dog has the potential to mitigate most to all of my symptoms that are making life really hard to manage day to day. This would be life-changing for me.

I'm not very good at asking for help. But if you are willing and able, could you help me cover this cost? Thank you for your care and support.