I am starting this fundraiser for my 18-year-old daughter Daphne. She is creative, inquisitive, and passionate about making the world a better place. She is also autistic and suffers from severe anxiety. We are raising money to get her a service dog to help her gain independence and improve her quality of life.

Unlike most boys on the autism spectrum, girls are much more likely to be diagnosed late or not at all. Despite struggling and displaying autistic behaviors since early Childhood, Daphne did not receive a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder until age 17. By that time she had aged out of most autism services, accommodations, and supports—the majority of which are offered exclusively for small children.

Now 18, she is struggling to adapt to the adult world, which offers still less support and acceptance for disabled individuals. She is full of drive to achieve her goals in life, however, due to her autism and anxiety, she is unable to pursue higher education, hold a job, or live independently. Going into stores, attending crowded classes, and many other daily activities can cause her to suffer pain, anxiety, sensory overload, and meltdowns. She has also displayed self-injurious behavior since childhood, which has worsened over the years and with increased anxiety.

Our family believed there was nothing we could do about this—until we learned about autism service dogs. These specialized dogs are trained to help autistic people remain calm and regulated in unfamiliar environments, interrupt negative and self-harmful behaviors, and provide a sense of security at all times.

Soon after her autism diagnosis, we adopted a young dog with the hopes of training her to be a service dog. After working with several trainers, we were told that, despite her initial promise and drive to learn, she simply had the wrong temperament to adjust to life as a working dog. We transitioned her back into a family pet, leaving Daphne devastated and hopeless once more.

The next avenue we chose to explore was fully trained dogs—puppies who are born at training facilities and brought up with the expectation of becoming service dogs Once again, however, nearly all of these organizations catered solely to very young children.

After months of searching, we finally discovered an organization that could provide a pup for Daphne: Doggie Does Good. We have now successfully matched with a beautiful black lab, which Daphne has named Moony.

Now our final obstacle in this journey is money. Because of these dogs’ intensive training, coupled with the price of raising them since birth, the support and independence offered by these pups comes at a hefty price. The dog alone ranges from $3500-3800, and the training on top of that can be between $18,000 and $25,000. Again, Daphne’s late diagnosis, as well as our rural location, disqualify her from many grants and funding opportunities.

For the past few months, she has been raising money through her small business where she makes stuffed animals and sensory toys. But we are still far from our goal amount. So we turn now to friends and strangers in the hopes that they will help us reach out goal. Any little bit helps and any progress is good progress!