A Lifeline for Brooklyn: Funding Bentley the Service Dog
Meet Brooklyn: A Fighter Facing the Impossible
Our daughter, Brooklyn Miller, is a bright, beautiful 14-year-old girl with a fierce spirit. Like any teenager, she dreams of going to school, spending time with friends, and experiencing the world. Unfortunately, her daily life is dominated by a complex web of medical conditions that have stolen her independence and limited her to the confines of our home.
Brooklyn is managing a challenging combination of illnesses, including PNES (non-epileptic seizures), Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), severe anxiety, and several forms of OCD and PVC’s (heart issues).
The Daily Struggle
Brooklyn's health is unpredictable and, at times, terrifying. Her conditions cause a wide range of dangerous and disabling episodes:
• Frequent, unexpected seizures
• Sudden loss of the ability to walk, leaving her immobile
• Temporary loss of vision and hearing
• Trouble breathing and episodes where she almost passes out from simple activities
• Dangerous blood sugar drops
• Constant, severe anxiety that prevents her from sleeping well or leaving the house.
Because of this constant risk, Brooklyn cannot function normally. She is unable to enjoy a normal teenage life, and we cannot leave her side. She needs a constant, reliable companion who can predict, alert, and respond to these medical crises—and that's where Bentley comes in.
Bentley: A New Path to Independence
We have found a remarkable service dog named Bentley, who is currently undergoing specialized training to become Brooklyn's loyal medical partner. Bentley is not a pet; he is a crucial medical intervention.
Bentley will be trained to perform specific, life-saving tasks for Brooklyn:
Task: Medical Alerting
Benefit: He will be trained to alert us (and Brooklyn) to oncoming seizures, blood sugar drops, and heart-related episodes (like POTS flares) before they become critical.
Task: Support & Comfort
Benefit: During an episode (a seizure, fainting spell, or panic attack), he will provide deep pressure therapy and comfort, helping to stabilize her and interrupt harmful behaviors.
Task: Safety & Assistance
Benefit: He will stay by her side during a medical event and, if necessary, find a family member for help, allowing Brooklyn to safely regain some mobility and independence outside of the home.
Bentley will give Brooklyn the confidence and safety net she needs to leave the house, attend medical appointments, and eventually, maybe even return to school. He will be her lifeline, allowing her to finally sleep soundly knowing she has a constant guardian.
Our Goal: Funding Brooklyn's Future
The cost of raising, training, and certifying a service dog like Bentley is substantial. We are asking for your help to raise funds to complete his training and bring him home.
These funds will exclusively cover:
• The remainder of the intensive, specialized training program for Bentley.
• Travel expenses to and from the training facility for handler training days, where Brooklyn learns to work seamlessly with Bentley.
• All necessary equipment (vests, harnesses, mobility gear) needed for Bentley to perform his duties as a working Service Dog.
Every donation brings Brooklyn one step closer to a more secure, independent future. If you are unable to donate, sharing Brooklyn’s story with friends, family, and social media networks is an incredible act of kindness that will help us reach our goal.
Thank you for helping us give Brooklyn the gift of safety, independence, and a new best friend.