Help Victoria raise enough for a Seizure Alert Dog
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
4 Paws for Ability IncHelp Victoria raise money to provide her with a service dog to improve safety, and independence!
$2,250
raised by 14 people
$17,000 goal
Recent Update Jan, 2025
We are still trying to raise enough money for Victorias seizure alert dog/best friend.
I realized we haven’t updated in a long time. Victoria got VNS surgery in June 2024. We had to continually postpone DBS surgery due to illness. Her doctor said we had to do SOMETHING to slow the seizures down and quick. We proceed with VNS surgery. She has an electrode wrapped around her vagus nerve in her neck, which is attached to a stimulation implant on the left side of her chest. Her brain receives stimulation every 3 minutes and also we have a magnet that we swipe across her chest when we witness a seizure in order to send stimulation. The implant also will send stimulation if her heart rate jumps by 10%.
Victoria also is on Keto diet to help seizures as well. She has been on keto diet since August, and she is not a fan of it. We are trying to wean her off of it.
With both of these treatments, Victorias seizures have decreased Thank the Lord! Unfortunately she still has daily seizures. We are still figuring out what the next steps will be. She currently is still on 5 seizure medications which have so many side effects.
We are praying we are able to raise enough for this seizure alert dog so she is able to have more independence and is able to have more quality of life as a 10 year old should. 7 years of daily seizures can really take a toll on her brain, body and development. Receiving a seizure alert dog would not only give her independence but also give her dad and I a little sense of security and reassurance that she is always in safe hands (paws) and we don’t have to be suffocating her with questions and our “helicopter” parenting.
Thank you all for being here! May God continue to bless each and every one of you!
About Victoria!
If you have met her, you know first hand She is the kindest, happiest girl you’ll ever meet, despite her challenges! She was diagnosed with Epilepsy at just 3 years old.
Victorias seizures are partial focal seizures. They affect the right side of her body. Depending on the severity of the seizure she can either have her entire right side twitching, or it can paralyze her right side. She has an average of 12-20 seizures a day, despite being on 5 medications (3 times a day).
She underwent multiple tests (EEG, MRI, genetics) with no reasoning for her seizures up until last year. We finally went to Mayo and they used a stronger MRI, which was able to show us that she has cortical dysplasia in her left frontal lobe. She underwent a “stereo eeg” which is a surgery where the electrodes go in her brain and stay in her brain for some time (12 days in her situation). This procedure was to pin point the location the seizures are coming from. We were praying that it would be in part of her brain that was able to resect. Unfortunately her seizures are coming right from her motor area, so that was not a possibility.
All of her seizures and medications have unfortunately affected her development greatly. She currently needs speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Victoria is almost 9 years old, and has 0 independence, as her being alone could cause serious injury if she were to have a seizure. Ontop of her seizures throughout the day she suffers from nocturnal seizures as well. Being her age, she wants to sleep by herself but we have a huge fear of SUDEP ( sudden unexpected death in epilepsy )
Mayo Clinic has recommended Victoria get a combination surgery of deep brain stimulation/chronic sub threshold continuous stimulation surgery. She would be about the 5th person to receive this surgery ever. They would permanently place 4 electrodes in her brain and have those sending constant stimulation to REDUCE seizure. She would still have seizures, and still need her medications. This is just another treatment to help get the seizures under control by an estimate of 70 percent decrease. Scariest thing we have ever had to discuss. The surgery keeps getting postponed due to different bacterial infections, so we are not sure when or if it will happen.
Despite all her struggles she still keeps a smile on her face! Victoria finds comfort and love in dogs, stuffed and real. Having a seizure alert dog would not only be a companion to her, it would be providing more independence for her, even allowing her to sleep in her own room. A service dog would also help with providing some reassurance to her parents that she is safe with us and with out us. It would provide protection/support while she has the seizure and comfort after. A seizure alert dog would alert us prior/when she is having a seizure.
Once she raises the goal amount, she is put on a waiting list to be placed with a dog. Once she is matched, we attend training and bonding with the dog for 9 days in Ohio.
We hope to find support and assistance in raising this goal in order to get her on the waitlist for a dog!
Prayers are greatly appreciated!!
Thank you for reading! We are blessed that you even took the time out to read about our beautiful girl!