
Support Archie Belle's Service Dog Training Journey
Donation protected
I would greatly appreciate and humbly ask for your help with words of encouragement, sharing my story and link, and/or a financial contribution that will allow Archie Belle to continue her Service Dog training.
As my family and close friends are aware, I have endured and continue to endure significant health challenges for the last twenty-three years. In early 2000, doctors diagnosed me with diabetes. As a brittle diabetic, I experience severe swings in blood glucose levels which can lead to frequent episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Unfortunately, my body no longer provides me with warning signs, making it necessary to rely on my Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and Service Dog. A Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) is crucial and critical to my overall health and well-being. However, as with any electronic device, there are inherent flaws. Archie Belle, my service dog, is learning scent detection, allowing her to alert me to critical blood glucose changes in real-time.
Sadly, in 2016, multiple health issues forced me to go on Short Term Disability. Subsequently, it became necessary for me to transition to Long Term Disability and eventually Social Security Disability. This was and remains very traumatic for me as my career and independence meant everything. This has taken an enormous toll on my mental wellbeing.
Over the last twenty-three years, the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and my team of local doctors diagnosed me with severe migraines, dysphagia, mobility issues, severe muscle atrophy, severe fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, central sensitization syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, depression, panic attacks, PTSD and the list goes on.
My medical team and I believe a service dog will allow me to continue to live more independently, safely, and most importantly, never be alone.
All donations will be allocated towards ongoing and future service dog training for Archie Belle. Any donations after that will help cover prior training, tools, service dog gear, etc.
Thank you for reading my story and considering my support request. It would mean the world to me to know that Archie Belle can continue her training and that this financial struggle will be in my rearview mirror. I would appreciate your sharing my story and Service Dog GoFundMe request with others. Thank you again for allowing me to share my story. Please feel free to leave any words of encouragement.
Organizer

Shannon Wells
Organizer
Winchester, VA