Help Pickles to Help Camille #SUPERHEROPICKLES
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Help Pickles to Help Camille #SUPERHEROPICKLES
This last year has been a challenge for so many. For Camille and Peter Hollingshead, it has been especially difficult due to the discovery of a serious health condition. The young couple were just married in 2017 and relocated to Nevada City from Long Beach the following year. Camille was starting her budding career as a 6th Grade English Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher at NCSA (Nevada City School of the Arts). The assignment was perfect, a school that would highlight her experience as an artist and her love for children. Peter, a mechanic by trade, was starting his college career at SSU (Sacramento State University).
In November of 2020, Camille started experiencing numerous spells, a sudden change of awareness, and loss of consciousness. At age 31, these symptoms were extremely alarming. She was immediately hospitalized, and their story would change forever. After many days of tests and evaluations, so many questions unanswered, Camille was given a diagnosis of Epilepsy. Unfortunately, there was not a quick fix, or magical drug that would balance out her episodes. She was sent home with impaired mobility, impaired speech, and afflicted with many absent seizures a day. Since then, Camille’s condition remains the same. Camille and Peter have found a highly recommended Neurologist, Dr. Alyssa Nylander of UCSF, and are hopeful that she will lead Camille to a ‘full’ recovery. Unfortunately, in the meantime, Camille has not been able to drive and is living a modified lifestyle. Her medical condition has prevented a return to work as a full-time teacher. A career Camille has poured all her passion into, has been placed on hold, and benefits such as health insurance are now gone.
However, there is light to this story! Camille and Peter remain as hopeful as ever. Peter will be completing his degree from SSU in Environmental Science with a minor in Statistics next May. Camille is focused on her art and social network marketing. She will be teaching summer art classes at the Curious Forge and be an Art Teacher Aide, two days a week at NCSA in the fall. They are the same bright, caring, innovative individuals that we all know and love!
And then there is PICKLES!!! Pickles, Great Pyrenees / Anatolian Shepherd Puppy, joined the Hollingshead household this winter. Camille spends numerous hours training Pickles and has discovered her aptitude as a Service Dog. Training a Seizure Response Service Dog is a specialty, takes about two years and projected costs run $10-15K plus. The first step is basic obedience training and service dog certification. The second step is to hone in on Seizure Response skills, i.e. assisting with balance and barking to alert of seizures. So many testimonials, from others with serious medical conditions, state that their Seizure Alert Dog saved their life and has helped them lead a normal life. Kathleen O’Sullivan, Positive Pooch Dog Training of Nevada City offers one-on-one in person training. Let’s help fund Camille and Pickles on this journey.
HELP PICKLES TO HELP CAMILLE! Please donate today to start Pickles in her Superhero Dog training. For every $95 earned, Pickles receives 1 hr. of Service Dog Training.
Follow Pickles on Instagram: @sugar.and.pickles
Thank you for any support you are able to offer at this time.
(Any additional funds raised from this campaign will go towards Camille’s medical expenses and seeing them through this next year.)
#SUPERHEROPICKLES #PICKLEPUP #EPILEPSY #SERVICEDOG #SEIZUREALERTDOG
This last year has been a challenge for so many. For Camille and Peter Hollingshead, it has been especially difficult due to the discovery of a serious health condition. The young couple were just married in 2017 and relocated to Nevada City from Long Beach the following year. Camille was starting her budding career as a 6th Grade English Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher at NCSA (Nevada City School of the Arts). The assignment was perfect, a school that would highlight her experience as an artist and her love for children. Peter, a mechanic by trade, was starting his college career at SSU (Sacramento State University).
In November of 2020, Camille started experiencing numerous spells, a sudden change of awareness, and loss of consciousness. At age 31, these symptoms were extremely alarming. She was immediately hospitalized, and their story would change forever. After many days of tests and evaluations, so many questions unanswered, Camille was given a diagnosis of Epilepsy. Unfortunately, there was not a quick fix, or magical drug that would balance out her episodes. She was sent home with impaired mobility, impaired speech, and afflicted with many absent seizures a day. Since then, Camille’s condition remains the same. Camille and Peter have found a highly recommended Neurologist, Dr. Alyssa Nylander of UCSF, and are hopeful that she will lead Camille to a ‘full’ recovery. Unfortunately, in the meantime, Camille has not been able to drive and is living a modified lifestyle. Her medical condition has prevented a return to work as a full-time teacher. A career Camille has poured all her passion into, has been placed on hold, and benefits such as health insurance are now gone.
However, there is light to this story! Camille and Peter remain as hopeful as ever. Peter will be completing his degree from SSU in Environmental Science with a minor in Statistics next May. Camille is focused on her art and social network marketing. She will be teaching summer art classes at the Curious Forge and be an Art Teacher Aide, two days a week at NCSA in the fall. They are the same bright, caring, innovative individuals that we all know and love!
And then there is PICKLES!!! Pickles, Great Pyrenees / Anatolian Shepherd Puppy, joined the Hollingshead household this winter. Camille spends numerous hours training Pickles and has discovered her aptitude as a Service Dog. Training a Seizure Response Service Dog is a specialty, takes about two years and projected costs run $10-15K plus. The first step is basic obedience training and service dog certification. The second step is to hone in on Seizure Response skills, i.e. assisting with balance and barking to alert of seizures. So many testimonials, from others with serious medical conditions, state that their Seizure Alert Dog saved their life and has helped them lead a normal life. Kathleen O’Sullivan, Positive Pooch Dog Training of Nevada City offers one-on-one in person training. Let’s help fund Camille and Pickles on this journey.
HELP PICKLES TO HELP CAMILLE! Please donate today to start Pickles in her Superhero Dog training. For every $95 earned, Pickles receives 1 hr. of Service Dog Training.
Follow Pickles on Instagram: @sugar.and.pickles
Thank you for any support you are able to offer at this time.
(Any additional funds raised from this campaign will go towards Camille’s medical expenses and seeing them through this next year.)
#SUPERHEROPICKLES #PICKLEPUP #EPILEPSY #SERVICEDOG #SEIZUREALERTDOG
Organizer and beneficiary
Keri Martin Ayers
Organizer
Nevada City, CA
Peter Hollingshead
Beneficiary