Help Jade dig up dinosaurs & finish her PhD!
Hi, I'm Jade and I'm a disabled paleontologist and service dog handler! I’m fundraising for mobility aids so I can hike & do fieldwork again, gear & advanced training for my service dog, & a computer so I can finish my Ph.D. You can read more about my story below :)
To see a full list of the items I am fundraising for and how they will help me, scroll to the bottom of this page
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My Story
Three years into my Ph.D. my health began to decline rapidly and in February of 2020, I was diagnosed with a progressive connective tissue disorder (generalized Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder / hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome ). While my doctors worked to find the cause of my worsening health I had to make the difficult decision to pause my studies for over a year of medical leave. Now, thanks to help from my amazing medical team, I'm ready to get back to pursuing my dream of being a paleontologist working both in the lab and in the field! My disease affects all of my joints, making lab work, fieldwork, and my favorite outdoor hobbies quite difficult. After 20+ years as an avid hiker and camper, and 10 years as an aspiring field scientist, the adjustment to my limited mobility has been a challenge.
Image: Jade and lab mate Ashley Reynolds remove overburden in a dinosaur quarry in southern Alberta. Summer 2017
Image: Jade standing in camp in during a month-long field excursion to dinosaur quarries in Southern Alberta. Summer 2017
Image: Jade at Killbear Provincial park with golden retriever Basil (medical alert and mobility service dog in training) and black lab/german shepherd mix Charlie (retired PTSD service dog). Fall 2020
Thankfully, there are many devices that can make hiking, camping, and digging up dinosaurs possible for me even with my physical disabilities! Over the past two years I've been fitted for a few types of basic leg braces that let me walk more comfortably and get around for my day-to-day life. But, the braces I have now are starting to wear and are not really up for the task of getting me out for longer distance hiking, fieldwork, and the more active lifestyle I am eager to get back to. Someday I even hope to do multi-day backpacking trips again!
And that's where you can help - I'm fundraising for custom braces, forearm crutches, advanced training and equipment for my medical alert service dog, and a lightweight computer to help me get back to my PhD research! All funds will go towards devices, aids, and technology that I need to get back to studying dinosaurs and exploring the outdoors. I truly appreciate your help in getting me back to the things that I love most :)
Image: Jade with theropod dinosaur foot bones. Winter 2017.
Thank you all so much!
All my love <3
Jade
*Edit August 28, 2021* Wow! We are blown away by your support friends! If we are fortunate enough to exceed our fundraising goal we will continue to put funds toward additional mobility aids, service dog training, and other medical expenses :)
Image: Golden retriever Basil sitting under a lab bench next to a large microscope at the Royal Ontario Museum. Summer 2021.
Basil was recently featured by BlogTO for her work helping me while I study at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto - check it out here!
You can read more about my research and journey as a disabled scientist and advocate on my website and in this recent Nature article. You can also watch Basil Mae (my service dog) and I talk about dogs, dinosaurs, and disabilities here. If you'd like to see more of the adorable Basil, and our work to make science more accessible for disabled students, head over to Twitter and follow @servicepupbasil!
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Below is a summary of each item I'm fundraising for and how it will help. Some of the braces and mobility aids listed below will improve my quality of life every single day, while others will empower me to move forward with a career in field science and to participate in the outdoor activities I love :)
UPDATE: Funded items are shown in bold, and items we're still raising funds for are shown in regular type. Thank you all so much!
Custom Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses (KAFOs) https://www.opchealth.com.au/townsend-premier-kafo
- These braces are lightweight and rugged enough for long-term outdoor use. Having these will allow me to hike longer distances, camp, and work in dinosaur quarries safely
[FUNDED] Impact Sport Wrist Braces https://www.mobiusbraces.com/product/x8-wrist-brace/
- Originally made for motocross athletes, these braces are highly recommended for people with connective tissue disorders and weak wrist joints! They'll keep my wrist bones in place and keep my palm free, allowing me to use tools like shovels and pickaxes, which I haven't been able to use properly in 2 years!
[FUNDED] Forearm crutches https://www.sidestix.com/
- These carbon fiber forearm crutches with internal shocks and a rotating inner leg were designed by a disabled mountaineer. The design prevents shoulder injury (common with other types of forearm crutches) and makes these the best crutch available for disabled hikers who want to do long-distance trails. They can also be equipped with snow or sandshoes, which opens up many trails and outdoor areas that would typically not be accessible on crutches.
- A common hand complication with HSD/hEDS is thumb dislocations, which make typing, writing, and using small tools difficult. These braces will help keep my thumb joints in place so I can do more with my hands!
- As with most of my joints, my elbows over-extend and can come out of place easily. These braces will allow me to use larger tools (like a pickaxe or shovel!) again safely - meaning I could help with the heavy lifting of dinosaur excavation work again!
- Studying dinosaurs can involve a lot of amazing fieldwork, but we actually spend more time working in a lab! I'm currently finishing data collection for my dissertation and will spend quite a lot of time writing up my results over the next year. As my disease has progressed I have developed spinal instability and pain and need a lighter computer to bring back and forth to the lab with me. This laptop will let me analyze thin sections of fossil bone, complete phylogenetic analyses (dinosaur family trees!), write up results, and much more
- Service dogs require regular veterinary exams to make sure they are healthy and can continue working. A service dog training for mobility work will also need a standard set of x-rays and joint evaluations once they are 2 years old to determine their overall joint health and to clear them for full mobility work as an adult! Basil will be 2 years old soon and will need her x-rays and joint evaluations done! For now, she does light mobility work and we practice the movements for more advanced mobility work but with very little or no bodyweight included until her joints are cleared by the OFA organization and her veterinarian. The x-rays and joint clearance exam is one of the larger health expenses in a young service dog's career. Funds will go toward these fees as well as eye and cardiac exams that are recommended for her breed :)
[FUNDED] Bold Lead Designs Service Dog Mobility Harness https://boldleaddesigns.com/shop/mobility-support-harness-for-brace-and-balance-stability-assistance/
- My service dog does both medical alert and mobility work. Funds will go toward advanced training sessions, public access testing, and a mobility harness for her to wear to help support me while walking and standing
- Crash-tested travel crate to keep my hard-working service dog safe. If we are fortunate enough to exceed our funding goal this is one of the first items that additional funds will go to after braces and mobility aids are fully funded.
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