Assistance Dog for Dan

In June 2020, Dan joined the prison service where they worked as a prison officer on the landings. However, shortly after joining, in April 2021, they received a blow to the head from one of the prisoners which resulted in a life changing injury. They were diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and a mild-traumatic brain injury. Although they initially tried to rejoin the service in a non-operational role, they ultimately had to leave the service entirely due to their condition deteriorating.

The post-concussion syndrome left them with symptoms of headaches, dizziness, fatigue, sensory difficulties, nausea and vomiting. They also developed seizures as a result of the head injury which would often result in episodes of temporary paralysis and confusion.

However, Dan was keen to keep persevere and show their dedication to social change. They completed their masters in Applied Custodial Leadership, graduated from the Unlocked Graduates scheme and joined the Ministry of Justice where they worked on Talent development.

Over the past couple of years, Dan has continued to struggle with the symptoms and repercussions of the head injury. This all reached a climax in April 2024, where Dan was admitted to hospital for complete loss of their legs after a seizure and gastrointestinal issues. The nausea and vomiting that they had been experiencing since the head injury meant they could no longer keep down food, the seizures had increased to an unmanageable frequency with complete loss of awareness after them which could last from minutes to days at a time and they had no mobility at all.

They spent the next 9 months in the hospital working with various teams to get them to a point where they could safely leave the hospital. They managed to get some movement back in their legs, but was diagnosed with a corresponding neurological condition which means they can no longer weight bare and are reliant on constant care throughout the day for their complex needs. The gastrointestinal issues also mean that Dan is reliant on a feeding tube for all their nutrition.

Despite how difficult the past 4 years have been, Dan has kept smiling, engaging and trying to do all that they can to get better. They have had to self-finance treatment which isn't covered by the NHS and have had to deal with the extra costs which accompany being disabled. As they were in the hospital for so long, and due to the nature of their condition, this also means that they are now unemployed.

However, one of the suggestions to give Dan back some independence is to get them an assistance dog. This would help them with everyday mobility tasks, help alert necessary people if they are having a seizure and provide comfort when they have had a seizure and are experiencing periods of confusion.

Although there are charities which provide assistance dogs, these are competitive and cannot meet Dan's extensive needs. For instance, Dan would need a dog that was trained in mobility, but also in seizure response. We have found a company that can train specialised assistance dogs, but have been quoted upwards of £25000 to be able to achieve this.

Dan was injured through no fault of their own, and has had to deal with the repercussions with no help from the prison service. As a result, we are on a mission to raise as much money as we can to help improve the situation and help change Dan's life for the better.

Please note, any funds raised from this will be paid into Dan Carey’s account and then transferred directly to the organisation, Hillside Paws for Life, who are undertaking the assistance dog training.