This project will reduce the stress on a young boy's family as the deal with the issues of not only epilepsy, but autism as well. The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation has committed to providing a grant to Thomas for his seizure-response dog Crosby.
Thomas' family lives in a constant state of exhausting worry and stress. He is a nine-year old boy who lives with seizures and is also autistic. While Crosby is still in training with the family, he has already provided seizure alerts on several occasions. Crosby is also being trained as an Autism Assist dog as a means of keeping Thomas calm. The family states that Crosby is "quite the dog".
Crosby will allow Thomas some sort of normalcy in his life. He also brings comfort to his family as they feel like they can get to him faster during a seizure, and if not, Crosby can help until they can arrive. This project will help to keep Thomas safe and bring some peace to his family.
This particular project will help 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.
