Lucas' Puppy Fundraiser

First and foremost, 

Thank you for helping us on this journey. When I delved into looking for a service dog for Lucas, I never dreamed of the hurdles I would encounter. 4Paws4ability has been incredibly helpful on this path. 

Lucas is my miracle child; the gift that I never thought I would have and he is nothing short of amazing. His outgoing nature, sweet spirit, strength, infectious smile and just overall happy outlook on life never ceases to amaze and humble those who meet him. He receives physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy multiple times a week along with numerous specialists who help with his care. He is a fighter and has been from day one. Diagnosed with L1CAM Syndrome, a rare genetic mutation, Lucas was given a prognosis by doctors that no parent wants to hear. From being told I would never bring my son home, I now have an energetic, rambunctious 6 year old that is in need of a service dog. 

The dog that we are fundraising for is a mobility assistance and seizure alert dog. Lucas suffers from absent and grand mal seizures. He also is unable to do many things that children his age do naturally, such as standing or walking (without assistance), running and self care. This service dog would be the best present that I can give my son for it would allow him a small measure of independence. Not only would the dog alert us to seizures, the dog would also help open doors, turn on lights for Lucas, retrieve medicine, soothe after seizures and keep Lucas from harming himself during a seizure. The reason that these tasks are essential is that because of the nerve damage, Lucas struggles with tasks that require fine motor skills. His endurance is not where it should be and he has super tight hamstrings and muscles so assistance with walking when he is not in his wheelchair is of the utmost importance. Lucas would also have a companion that would help him feel comfortable on those days when his nerve damage causes him so much pain that using his walker or crutches is out of the question. Since Lucas is verbally limited, the service dog is a great "friend" as the dog would understand all of Lucas' non verbal cues.

Some of Lucas' conditions include nerve damage, a VP shunt (for hydrocephalus), grand mal seizures, absent seizures, Hirschsprung's Disease and scoliosis. This impacts his daily life in a myriad of ways but they do not diminish his fierce spirit. 4 Paws 4 Ability is a foundation that helps provide service dogs to children like Lucas. It costs between $40-$60,000 to train a dog but this foundation only requires us to raise $17,000 of that amount. I cannot begin to explain how much this dog would mean to me and Lucas. I honestly cannot.  

"Thank you" does not even begin to describe how we feel about your help. This is a life changer for Lucas and I am forever grateful for all of your kind hearts.