Service Dog for Vivian

Our daughter Vivian, age 15, was born with an incredibly rare genetic disorder known as Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay.  Ataxia is a degenerative neurological disease that affects a person’s ability to walk, talk, and use fine motor skills. It impacts every aspect of a person’s life -- making simple tasks difficult to complete. Her symptoms, which will worsen over time, include: • Lack of coordination • Difficulty walking • Poor balance • Slurred speech • Trouble eating and swallowing • Deterioration of fine motor skills • Gait abnormalities • Tremors • Eye movement abnormalities • Cognitive difficulties and affective difficulties (Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome) and • polyneuropathy, among others .  She also has a mild heart condition, ADHD, temperature sensitivities, and suffers from severe anxiety/depression. Because of falls she has broken her back, her leg, and her arm and she has suffered significant concussions.  She wears constant bruises from falls and stumbles. In the last year her health and mobility have deteriorated rapidly and her mobility and energy levels, in particular, have been devastatingly affected--she is currently on medical leave from school. Her physicians see having a mobility dog as the best opportunity for her to become independently mobile again. Any money raised will go first towards identifying and training a mobility dog and paying for its vetting and then anything that goes over will contribute towards large medical bills we have amassed for her care. Thank you for any help you can provide for our Hummingbird!