Help Julia Get A Seizure Response Dog

Hello everyone! My name is Julia Brinkman. I am 20 years old, and I live with Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy. I was diagnosed as a teenager and have been struggling with the consequences of uncontrolled seizures ever since.

Although it has always been difficult for me to ask for help, I have finally decided to take this leap and do so. I need your help to afford the opportunity to get my life back.

Over the last four years, I have been searching for a Seizure Response Dog. These service dogs are trained to do many important things, such as identifying when I am having a seizure, going to find the nearest person to get help, and leading them to where I am. Or, if I am in a place where the dog cannot reach someone, it is trained to press an alert button to send for help. The dog also carries around my emergency medication, medical information, and instructions for seizure first aid, so people know what to do when they are brought to me. Most importantly, this dog will give me confidence, independence, take away my fear of leaving my home or being alone, and provide the ability to live the life that epilepsy has taken away from me.

However, securing a seizure response dog, or any kind of service dog, is no small endeavor. It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of hard work, and it takes money.

There are programs all across the country that provide seizure response dogs, and I have applied to several to find the right fit for me. Some only work with Veterans or First Responders, some only work with children, some will not work with you if you have other animals in your home, and others have waiting lists that are between 4-7 years long before you can even be considered for the program.

As you can imagine, it had been a real challenge to find the right program. Then I got a call from Tails for Life saying that I had been accepted into their program! Tails for Life is a nonprofit organization in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. They have a strong track record of success and have changed many lives. This entire program takes two years to complete. My seizure response dog will be trained to do specific tasks based on my specific needs to keep me safe, get help, and also provide a sense of security, comfort, and relief of anxiety when going out.

This program is incredible and far different from others. Instead of the dogs spending years working only with trainers and then being dropped off to the client when the training is complete, I will be working with the trainers at Tails for Life from start to finish! I will start bonding with my dog right away when she’s a puppy. I will get to work alongside the trainers and be a part of this process to learn all that they teach her! Everything from how to sit, lay down, and stay, to how to save the day!

We will spend time going out and about with her while she will experience my seizures, practice her tasks in different scenarios and environments, and learn different ways to make sure she can get help for me - no matter where we are! Then she will get to spend some weekends/weeks with me to get comfortable with her soon-to-be new home!

The Tails for Life program is exactly what I’ve been looking for over these last few years! I am so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity!

Your help in getting this Seizure Response Dog will give me a chance to once again live the life epilepsy has taken from me. Since I cannot drive, I rely on others for transportation. But if my family can’t take me somewhere such as work or school, I would have to take the bus or walk. But, riding the bus alone or walking alone can be dangerous because there is no way to get help if I have a seizure and no one knows what to do. Having this dog will give me the opportunity to do those things. To ride a bus safely and timely to a workplace. To go for a walk without another person with me. I could go to school without the fear that I could have another seizure in the bathroom, hit my head, and remain on the floor unconscious until someone finds me and calls 911. (Yes, that happened.) Your support will make it possible for me to have the confidence to leave my home, gain independence, and say goodbye to the fear that holds me back.

Remember I said it takes time, effort, and money? Well, the entire program will cost $22,000.

I am ready to commit the time it takes, put forth the effort, and invest the money I have to make this a reality. My immediate family has already made an investment in my future with my dog and so far have contributed approximately $4,000 toward my goal!

So I am asking you to make a contribution of your own.

With your support and the contributions of others to help raise the additional $18,000, this life-saving opportunity can become a reality! Please spread the word! Every donation in any amount will make a difference!

If you happen to live near me in Northeast Wisconsin, donations can also be made directly to the “Julia Brinkman’s Seizure/Service Dog” account at any Fox Communities Credit Union location.

Thank you all so much for your kindness, love, and support!