A service dog will change the life of an amazing young woman who deals with the seizures on on a regular basis. Seizure response dogs are a special type of service dog, specifically trained to help someone who has epilepsy or a seizure disorder. The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation is currently fundraising to be able to provide a grant to Chelsea and Darby, a service dog in training for her.
Per Chelsea, having a service dog will help her family know that she is safe when she has seizures. She wants her independence. She believes having a service dog to help her with her seizures will allow her to experience life and not be held back any longer. She is looking forward to feeling confident about being in public by herself.
A seizure-response dog will help brace Chelsea during a seizure so those falls aren't as severe. Darby will be there when she wakes from a seizure and there is comfort for her in not being alone. Darby will be able to alert a caregiver when Chelsea has a seizure, which can be life-saving. In time, Darby may be able to alert her ahead of time of an impending seizure, in which she may get herself in a safe place.
This particular project will provide seizure-response dogs for people living with epilepsy, greatly increasing their chances of surviving life-threatening episodes that may arise. This project will also raise awareness about SUDEP to encourage further support of individuals living with epilepsy, their families, and their communities.
