Seizure Alert Dog for Tara O'Connell

 

If you've found this page, you probably already know about Tara. (If not, you can read all about it on Tara's blog.) Tara is my youngest granddaughter, and she'll turn three on June 20.  She has a rare disorder called William's Syndrome, and because of this disorder, Tara can experience up to 100 seizures a day. This means she can't be left alone for even a moment.  My daughter Cheri and her husband David are exhausted. They need help.  And to that end, Righteous Pups Australia are going to train a seizure alert dog for Tara. This will be a one-off trial, as - in Australia - these dogs aren't supplied to children with epilepsy.  They are often given to children, but to date, it's only children with autism who have received them.

Tara with Dora and Boots, plus brother and sister (twins) Sean and Jasmine on each side.  Also pictured (left) are her cousins Nikita and Crystal.  Her other cousin, Curtis, was at Cuboree when this photo was taken.

The main problem with getting a puppy for Tara is the cost, which is very prohibitive.  It costs $30,000 to train each dog, so we (Tara's family) are endeavouring to raise the money. We've had a lot of people from around the world requesting to make donations.  Unfortunately, the charity concerned doesn't use PayPal.  To ensure overseas donations aren't lost, I've offered to use my PayPal account to receive these donations. This way you can also pay by credit card if you wish, as I have a business account. Every cent donated will go directly to the charity - I will personally absorb the processing fees to ensure the whole amount is sent.  We will then pass the donations on to the charity. So... to make a donation, use the button below.  You can choose the amount of your donation, and no matter how big or small, we appreciate every cent. **Australian citizens please note:  to qualify for a tax deduction you need to donate directly to Righteous Pups Australia. If you haven't done so already, you may like to look at the interview shown on Today Tonight (Channel Seven, Melbourne) on Friday night, April 11.  You can view this online at no charge whatsoever.  Go here: http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/video At the time of writing, it was listed at the top, and the segment is called “Animal friends help care for kids”. You can also read the article that was in the Melbourne Herald Sun on the same day - Friday April 11: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23520101-2862,00.html Our family thank you for all your good wishes, kind thoughts, and any donations you may send.   Cheryl   In a fire truck At kinder - painting At an epilepsy camp At home playing