Support Angela's Journey to a Service Dog

Hi my name is Angela,

Background:

I was born with a congenital heart defect for which I have undergone many surgeries. As I have gotten older, my medical history has become more and more complicated. My most debilitating diagnoses being: POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), Dysautonomia, hEDS (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Anxiety, and Occipital Neuralgia. These conditions create an endless amount of hurdles that I need to navigate everyday and can make even the most simple tasks impossible at times.

THE WHY:

I have created this GoFundMe page to help me raise money for a Service Animal that would absolutely change my life. This Service Animal would be able to alert me when sudden cardiac changes occur, allowing me to place myself in a position of safety during these episodes, so that I do not risk further injury.

Due to my conditions, doctors appointments are a frequent occurrence, and also a trigger for PTSD. The Service Animal would provide me with emotional grounding through tasks such as: Alerting, Interrupting, Calming, and Deep Pressure Therapy. These tasks would not only be beneficial for attending doctors appointments, but for any scenarios whether in public or in the privacy of my home. Due to the PTSD, most nights consist of nightmares, which the Service Animal would be able to interrupt and wake me, along with providing comfort.

Other than these vital medical alert and support tasks that the Service Animal would provide, it would also provide me with a sense of security and confidence that I have never had before. Feeling safe and supported would give me the courage to face each day and night with greater confidence.

Having a Service Animal would not only change my life for the better, but it would give me back a part of my life that I have been missing.

How You Can Help:

Service dogs are highly trained and require significant resources, making them costly. The funds raised will go toward the cost of acquiring, training, and supporting my service dog, including any necessary equipment and ongoing care. The breakdown of the costs would roughly look like the following:

The cost of the dog (from a specialized breeder): $5,000

Specialized training: $12,800

Veterinary Fees: $2,000

Travel Expenses for Training Sessions (to train with the Service Animal and Instructor): $5,500

Dog Harness, Bed, Food, etc: $500

Total: $25,800

Any contribution, no matter how small, brings me one step closer to regaining part of my life back.

If you cannot donate, that is okay! I completely understand, things have been difficult for many and finances can be tight this time of year. But instead, if you are able to share this and spread the message, any little bit would help!

I thank you in advance for any way you choose to lend a hand; whether it be a donation, sharing the post on your social media, emailing the link to friends and family, or spreading the message via word of mouth.

Thank you,

Angela