Raising Funds for a Service Dog
I am reaching out to you with a request for a love offering to help Sophia raise the funds necessary to activate herself on the waitlist for a service dog from 4 Paws For Ability. This service dog will be trained to truly change her life and assist her in gaining the independence she not only wants but deserves.
Sophia is a 13-year-old girl with a heart of gold. She is an avid wrestler with a passion for overcoming any obstacle. Her nickname on the wrestling mat is "Beast".
Beast needs our help. For the past 2.5 years, she's been fighting to get a diagnosis on a seizure disorder. She's endured numerous hospital stays, multiple EEGs, EKGs, 30-day heart monitors, CTs, MRIs, medication changes, and many more tests. She is preparing for another inpatient hospital stay in 2 weeks. She's never given up and continued to persevere in her desire to get back on the wrestling mat.
She not only fights tonic-clonic (previously known as grand mal) seizures but also syncope episodes, panic attacks, and mental health battles. Unfortunately, there is no aura (warning sign) to identify when an episode may occur. We also have not been able to identify a trigger. This poses a very dangerous situation for Sophia daily. In June 2023, on Father's Day, she drowned in our neighborhood pool due to an episode. In the winter of 2023, she was admitted to a local children's hospital due to an episode where she fell and bounced her head off of the concrete. This is just two small examples of over a dozen episodes that have occurred.
Due to the frequency of these episodes, we are adapting and choosing to figure out ways to overcome these obstacles. We have been blessed to be accepted by 4 Paws For Ability to obtain a service dog that will be trained in seizure alert, seizure reaction, and behavior disruption. Specifically, the dog will spend the first 18 months - 2 years of his/her life training to ensure they have the skills to assist Sophia in gaining her independence and keeping her safe. They will utilize her clothing from seizures to help teach the dog how to notice if her scent is changing, warning of an oncoming seizure. The dog will also be trained to alert if she has a seizure and ensure she's in a rescue position. The dog will be with Sophia all night giving a peace of mind for the fear of SUDEP to her entire family and those who love her. Furthermore, Sophia most looks forward to being able to take a shower and not having to let someone know every single time she gets in and out of the shower, or if her shower is taking "too long" because her dog will be with her and can alert us if something happens.
Even better, the dog can accompany Sophia on her MANY doctor appointments, tests, hospital stays, and visits. This will provide her with the comfort and distraction necessary when the mental health side gets too much. She watched a video of a little girl with her dog waking up from a seizure and the dog was standing over the girl nuzzling her neck. Sophia's first words were "Aw! Mom! I want to wake up from a seizure like that!" Not something you ever prepare for as a mother, but I knew then we had to do everything we could to get her a service dog.
The real beauty is that this will come at the prime time of her life being 16 years old and her service dog will be able to assist her on her journey into adulthood. That's a peace of mind that I don't think any parent could truly fathom.
Sophia is the daughter of an active-duty Marine, GySgt. Thomas R. Perez, Jr. stationed at MCAS Beaufort, and one of four children in the household.
Options for Love Offerings:
1. Mail a check - Make the check payable to "4 Paws for Ability" and be sure to put 'Sophia Perez' in the memo line. Send the check to 207 Dayton Ave. Xenia, OH 45385. *This is the way to ensure all the proceeds go towards Sophia.
2. Donate Online via one of the following platforms (please keep in mind, that these donations do go directly to 4 Paws as well, however, they do deduct a fee for being done online).
MightyCause - www.mightycause.com/story/SophiaPerez
Sophia Perez aka Beast
GySgt Thomas R. Perez
4 Paws for Ability
832-585-2379
https://secure.qgiv.com/event/4pawsforabilityservicedogs/account/1664395/
Perez.SaraMarie@Gmail.com
Carolina Women Hosted by Debi Lynes & Erin Lentz
April-May 2024
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