Help Monica Attain & Train a Medical Mutt

Help Monica Attain & Train a Medical Mutt Companion

#MedicalMutt4Monica

TLDR: Monica has always been dedicated to helping others through her work as an artist and educator, but the very environments that used to fuel her now trigger non-epileptic seizures. We are raising money for her to afford a specially-trained service dog to respond to her seizures when she goes out in public and is alone in her home. Monica experiences seizures 1-3 times a day, nearly every day, since November 2021, making going out in public a safety risk. The sudden onset of her seizure disorder has forced Monica to leave her career and calling and has drastically impacted her ability to drive, work, and attend events. With the help of a highly attuned companion, Monica will gain more freedom to navigate life and work outside her home.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Anyone who knows Monica Dionysiou will tell you that her creative spirit brings beauty, joy, and new perspectives into the world.

As a theatre artist, she created and performed shows that highlight the human experiences of neurodivergent children, refugees, and people who experience mental illness. She always made a point to donate 10% of her profits from these performances to relevant non-profit organizations.

As an educator, she used her own body to teach medical students to perform pelvic exams. While doing so, she weaved trauma-informed communication and consent education into her lessons to promote safe and dignified exams for patients.

Despite Monica’s humble life, her generosity is widespread. She is the type of person who will open her doors to weary travelers in need of a place to stay. She is the type of person who carries hand warmers to give out to people on the street on a cold winter day. She is the type of person who holds your hand when you are suffering and still, somehow, inspires you to celebrate what you have in the present moment.

In November 2021, at age 36, Monica was at work at the CU Medical School when she experienced her first seizure. She was suddenly, uncontrollably shaking and twitching and she was unable to communicate with her co-workers.

What she didn’t know at the time was that this would become a daily occurrence.

It quickly became apparent that her life was about to drastically change. Having regular, unpredictable seizures meant that Monica could no longer safely teach at the medical school. It meant that she could no longer stand on stage under bright lighting. It meant that she had to turn in her keys and give up driving. It meant that going out in public became a safety risk.

Monica knew that understanding her condition was the first step toward healing. After months of medical testing, she was diagnosed with a Functional Neurological Disorder which presents as Non-Epileptic Seizures (NES.) Unfortunately, there are no medications available to treat NES. At least not yet. And the 28-week treatment program she completed at University Hospital had little impact.

Anyone who knows her knows that she embraces the ups and downs of life and always finds a way to live her life to the fullest. She knew it was time for a new career and found the means to go back to school and become a Licensed Massage Therapist. Monica’s new path is one of healing herself and others.

But these damn seizures create some serious obstacles…

You see, they are triggered by sensory overstimulation. Things like:

Basically, the constant buzz of living and working in a city is a trigger for her seizures. Since she can no longer drive, she is dependent on her partners and friends for rides. When they are not available, she walks or relies on public transportation.

Unfortunately, public buses trigger her seizures. So do grocery stores and so does walking down the street. These are all activities that are unavoidable in her everyday life. And are necessary for her to live and work outside her home.

When Monica leaves her home, she is safest when she has a companion. Someone who knows the safety plan and can protect her when she’s most vulnerable. Someone who can catch her if she falls. Someone who can tell the manager at the restaurant not to be concerned while she’s seizing at the table. Someone who can touch her back lovingly and help her come out of a dissociative state with fear-free ease.

But it’s just not possible to ALWAYS have a companion when she leaves the house…

… or is it?

With a specially trained service dog, Monica could have the companion she needs EVERY TIME she leaves.

Having a service dog will allow Monica to reintegrate into society/work and provide her and her loved ones a sense of safety.

Her dog will be trained to perform specific tasks such as:

As it turns out, training a service dog is MEGA expensive. And so… here we are… on GO FUND ME!

The process of finding, boarding, and training a working dog takes about 2 years. And it can cost upwards of $25,000.

Any contribution you can afford will make a big difference in Monica’s life! The money we raise here will go towards adoption fees, training costs, service dog supplies, and vet costs for 2 years of the training process.

Additional funds raised will go toward the cost of caring for the Service animal (food, grooming, etc,) during the 2 years of training.

Here's to helping this woman so she can help her community in return!