Paws 4 Abby: Helping a Brave Little Girl Live with Epilepsy

Hi Everyone,

My name is Marthie Lovely, and I’m the proud aunt of an amazing little girl named Abigail, who is currently in need of some help to have a service dog trained to assist with her epilepsy.

Let me tell you a little bit about Abby. She is a 9-year-old daughter of my sister, Amanda, and a fallen Army soldier. Her father tragically passed away from suicide when Abby was only 18 months old. She now lives with her mother and two younger siblings.

In 2015, when Abby was just 4 months old, she suddenly began having back-to-back seizures. She was rushed to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, NY, where she was diagnosed with epilepsy of unknown origin. She was stabilized, started on seizure medication, and thankfully, after about a year without any further episodes, her doctors were able to wean her off the medication.

Unfortunately, in November 2024, Abby experienced another seizure one morning while getting ready for school. It came out of nowhere—she collapsed to the floor. Her mom, terrified, called 911. Abby was taken to West Liberty ARH and then referred to a pediatric neurologist, where she was re-diagnosed with epilepsy. Again, there was no clear cause. She was prescribed medication but continued to experience minor episodes. After some time, it was discovered that there had been an error in her dosage. Her dose was adjusted, as it had been causing severe stomach pain and significant weight loss.

Over the past few weeks, Abby has had three separate episodes, each requiring emergency care. One episode caused her to black out and fall face-first into a baby gate, resulting in an ER visit to check for a broken nose. Most recently, on Friday, June 13th, she had a new, more intense seizure that required another 911 call. She was taken by ambulance to West Liberty ARH, where she suffered another seizure shortly after arrival. This was the first time she had experienced back-to-back seizures since infancy. She spent a few nights in the hospital and had her medication regimen changed once again.

Although Abby is home now, she’s still not feeling like herself. The side effects of her medication are weighing heavily on her. Her mom is afraid to let her out of sight, and the emotional toll is immense. That’s why we believe a trained service dog could make a huge difference—not only to help monitor her seizures but also to support her anxiety and PTSD.

We already have a dog—we just need help getting him properly trained. The cost of service dog training is high, and as a single mother of three, my sister simply can't afford it on her own. My goal is to help lift some of that financial burden.

Any support would be deeply appreciated—whether it’s a donation, a share, or even a prayer. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read Abby’s story and for supporting our family in any way you can.

Thank you,

Marthie Lovely