Mary Rose's Service Dog Fundraiser

We found out that Mary has SMA Type 3 when she was a little over 2 years old.  SMA or Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic neuromuscular disorder where the body does not produce enough of a certain type of protein necessary for the survival of motor neurons.  Motor neurons are what send signals from the brain to the muscles and organs in our body and without them we could not move, swallow, breathe or have a heartbeat. When the neurons die the muscles that they innervate (or supply a signal to) waste away or atrophy because they are no longer being used.  Her SMA has created weakness in her abdomen and legs making it difficult to walk, climb stairs, jump, and run. This service dog will help Mary have independence by helping with mobility when walking, climbing stairs, going up curbs, while walking, and helping her get up from the ground when she falls. Her service dog will also help her with retrieval of objects that fall to the ground, as going to the ground and back up takes a significant amount of energy for her.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for considering supporting our little girl's dream!