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A therapy dog for my sister

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Aura's world is full of many struggles at the moment and she needs your help. Some of you may know that my sister was in a very serious car accident 3 days before Thanksgiving, and through the accident she obtained a severe head injury. This head injury has caused her to lose her peripheral vision and has caused her to have daily mild seizures and migraines. Those are just 3 of the many issues that she is currently facing. Aura has been working very closely with a team of doctors and will start going to different therapies 5 days a week to start her very long road to recovery. She will also start home tutoring soon because she can't go to school (Aura is 16 and a junior in high school).

This whole incident has really taken a toll on Aura's spirit and personality, she has become very depressed and anxious, it is also believed that she could also be suffering from PTSD episodes (she has night terrors and nightmares since the accident).  It is devastating to our family to see Aura deteriorate like this, anyone who knew her before knows that she was always bursting with life and energy and was always eager to learn something new or make a new friend, she was just truly a kind, giving, and selfless person and would do anything to help anyone out. Aura loved to volunteer, she volunteered at the animal shelter and worked very closely with the Best Buddies organization. She was nominated to be President of Best Buddies at her school this year. Since this accident, she has stopped all activities and she also can't go to school or get a job. 

At an appointment last week with Aura's neurologist, it was suggested that she get a therapy dog. A therapy dog will help emotionally/mentally support her through these tough times, and soothe her anxiety to help speed up her recovery. We thought that this was a  great plan, as Aura has always had a deep connection with animals. But as some of you may know, a therapy dog usually costs between $5,000-$25,000 dollars to adopt/train. That amount of money is not ideal for my mom to cover at this time (the holidays). She is willing to contribute a large chunk of her savings but we can see that she is stressed about money.

Mom always tells us to do our research, so I've looked up articles about therapy dogs. There are many physical benefits: decreased blood pressure,
improved cardiovascular health, releases calming endorphins, lowers overall physical pain, stimulates relaxation response.
Mental Health Benefits of Therapy Dogs:
-lifts spirits and lessens depression
-lowers feelings of isolation and alienation
-encourages communication
-provides comfort
-increases socialization
-reduces anxiety
-aids in overcoming emotional issues
-creates motivation for faster recovery
-reduces loneliness

Aura is such a great role model to me and my brother, and she has always been there for us. I just want to do something to make a difference for her, something that could help her heal. So if you could help us out it would be greatly appreciated, any amount of money would help to lessen the financial burden that my mom would be facing. 

Thank you :)
Amber 

Organizer

Angie Doel
Organizer
Dennis, MA

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