Will You Help Make A Dream Come True?

The disorders listed here don't begin to cover the emotions and issues threatening families of children with disabilities. The children shown below (and their families) seek your help in a project that will replace bleakness and despair with hope and vitality. Perhaps you can find a way to help make some dreams come true. We are a 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible.

Jaden Cornelius :: David Nahodil :: JC Bowen :: Michael Ewing :: Aidan Kakoullis
Aarilynne McConnell :: Alyssa Evon Davilla :: Skyler Kratz :: Ruben Spice :: Isaac Egan :: Whit Warren
Andrew Johnson :: Benjamin Shawa :: Josh Woosley :: Angel Solis :: Benjamin Hillen
Joseph & Reuben Ochoa :: Ella Wynkoop :: Emily Lowe :: Vinnie Rodriguez :: Christian Westby
Michael Roque :: Sofia Wilkinson :: Kameron Liebzeit :: Randell Hart :: Taylor McCraw
Korigan Gibbons :: Mimi Reyes :: Damien Widmer :: Nikki Hardin :: Caleb Pack :: Joshua Caudle
William Snyder :: Caden Green :: Kathryn Ross-Schmid :: Allyson Gerlach :: Jake Poor :: Chad Burke
Cameron & Jeremy Flowers :: Geneva Powell :: Joey Hruby :: Sara Khan :: Coty Hines :: Gavin Wright
Shane Henderson :: Devon Mann-Leathers : Heather Donahue :: Tyler Bidwell :: Kai Foutts
Lauren Rust :: Malachai Hatfield :: Shyanna Gretz :: Aidan Agront :: Carter Scott :: Maggie Ward
Gabriel Kakitis :: Delaney Bugher :: CJ Neuman :: DeZarn Family :: Carter Tackitt
Alex Wood :: Kennan Brower :: Jonathan Brown :: Keilan Noonan

Little Kai needs Autism Service Dog for calming and tracking

By Kai's Parents

Our three year old and wonderfully vivacious little boy, Kai, hopes to receive a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability. Kai was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in April of 2011. However, we have been well aware almost since his conception that Kai was a unique individual.

Even during pregnancy, we were constantly reminded that Kai was extremely active and strong. We can easily look back now and say that he was adamantly telling us that he, even then, had tremendous sensory needs. As an infant, Kai needed to be cuddled, tightly swaddled, swung, and bounced at all times. However, He often seemed unaware that he was being spoken to. He did not seem to pay much attention to the conversations around him either.

It took some time for us to convince a physician that we needed additional help for Kai. At Kai's two year old check-up, we finally convinced his fifth physician that our concerns warranted a referral.

Thanks to Early Intervention therapeutic efforts after the age of two, Kai is now amidst the long process of learning to cope with and compensate for the many issues that impact his daily functioning. However, Kai still continues to demonstrate an inability to self-regulate, and is highly dependent upon us to assist him in coping, calming, and comforting processes.

Kai even experiences difficulty with the required self-regulation needed to develop regular routine sleeping habits and patterns. He falls asleep with us out on the couch, before he can then be carefully transferred to his own bed. He also typically wakes up two-to-three times a week during the middle of the night. Usually around three or four o'clock in the morning, we can count on him to call out to us to rejoin at the couch for the remainder of his sleeping hours.

Predominantly Kai's personal difficulties can be mainly attributed to Sensory Processing Disorder, which has also been known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction. SPD is a neurological disorder which affects the way Kai receives, interprets, stores, and recalls information. This greatly impacts Kai's ability to understand and appropriately participate in the world which surrounds him.

Stemming from these core issues, Kai was additionally diagnosed with dyspraxia and apraxia. These terms describe difficulty in the motor planning involved in gross and fine motor movements as well as those correlated to speech, respectively.

This collective grouping of learning disabilities often makes everyday life experiences for Kai extremely challenging and often times overwhelming. Kai is unable to fully enjoy and benefit from learning experiences at the same capacity as his typically developing peers because he is often over-stimulated and overwhelmed by his surroundings.

Subsequently, Kai is significantly delayed in speech and language development. His poor command of language makes it extremely difficult for him to convey his wants and needs to other individuals, especially his peers. Additionally, Kai does not have a well-developed understanding of environmental dangers. His behavior is still largely impulsive, and based upon immediate, short term gains and sensory seeking.

It would be an understatement to state that Kai is a flight risk. At any given moment he may dart out with absolutely no regard for his own safety. We lovingly describe him as an opportunistic runner. Kai must be watched like a hawk at all times to ensure his safety.

Our constant worries regarding his safety and potential for sensory overload impede our ability to provide Kai with adequate, real-life learning experiences. We avoid any errands with Kai that cannot be quickly accomplished from the car. Currently, we are limited to taking him to playgrounds, and the Children's Museum. These are the places in which society's standards for child behavior are a bit more realistic for Kai's abilities and needs.

We would love to get out into the community, as a family, more often. Kai loves interacting with others and exploring nature, but he needs further assistance to make these sustaining, beneficial, and enjoyable learning experiences. There are so many things and experiences that we want to share with Kai, and we deeply believe that a service dog will significantly enhance Kai's continued progress.

With the assistance of a service dog, the following activities would be more beneficial and enjoyable for Kai: errand-running; attending therapeutic sessions; large family gatherings; trips to zoos; trips to various museums; hiking; camping; car trips lasting longer than twenty minutes; engaging in verbal exchange with peers; learning social etiquette; an ability to attend school in a large setting, and eventually blending into a mainstream classroom; and we cross our fingers for any additional sleeping aid that may come from the unique bond between a boy and his dog.

There is a long road of growth and discovery in his future, and we truly think that a service dog is the calming, comforting, and protective companion Kai needs to increase his independence, functionality, social skills, and learning opportunities. Kai is extremely intelligent, friendly, happy, curious and excitable. He has an infectious smile, laugh, and energy. A specially-trained companion is just what he needs to facilitate his capacity for individual growth.

We would like to thank you for supporting 4 Paws For Ability, and would appreciate that you do so in honor of our son Kai. Thank You so Much - The Foutts Family

Carter needs autism service dog to track, stabilize, and love.

By Lisette Tackitt

Carter James Tackitt is a six-year-old who has lived with autism most of his life. He has been diagnosed with autism, has delayed speech, incoherent babbling, stemming/arm flapping, and lack of eye contact.

Carter's Autism has been very isolating. He has no sense of danger: escaping/wandering off, restless sleep, breaks household and personal family items, destroys contents in cabinets, floods bathrooms, very difficult eater; difficulty dealing with certain textures, temper tantrums, very low communication capability, extreme single-mindedness, extreme stubbornness, extreme difficulty in focusing on anything that should be relevant/important.

He is the youngest of five boys. His older brothers are Cooper 13, Ethan 11, Owen 10, and Brady 7. They love him so much but get frustrated when he goes into their rooms, and destroys their rooms by emptying drawers, dumping out toy tubs, writing on their walls, throwing their game devices over the second-floor ledge onto the entryway floor.

Carter is extremely loving and gives hugs and kisses. He is a happy child. He is not aggressive or confrontational to others. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dora the Explorer, NickJr., but Blues Clues is his very favorite so we'd love to call his dog BLUE!

He will often randomly recite dialogue from his favorite episodes for no apparent reason. He loves to play outside and swing. He has difficulty dealing with changes in routine and transition. It's routine for him to have public meltdowns while screaming and throwing himself on the floor. He's getting bigger and harder for Mom to handle.

Safety is our biggest issue. Second is independence. He needs more independence, for example, when we go to the grocery store. So that he won't take off running down the aisles, we must place him in the shopping cart with the seat belt fastened. He's growing tall, so that won't work for much longer.

The dog would be his companion. I am hoping that this will also help him sleep better in his own bed. Right now he sleeps in Mom and Dad's bed because I always think, what if, in the night, he walks out of the house.

Another major concern is the fact that we are moving from TX to OH this summer and that it will be such a drastic change for him going to a location with no family or familiar people. He'll have new teachers, new surroundings, which is terrifying, so he'll also have new areas to explore.

We want to be able to raise these funds as soon as we can so Carter can have his dog and bring us relief.

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency), located in Ohio, and made an application. We were accepted. Our family is partnering with 4 Paws for Ability to raise the $13,000 to raise and train Carter's dog to meet his needs.

You can find out more about autism services dogs and help by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Carter Tackitt at 4 Paws for Ability's donation page, 4 Paws for Ability - Donation Page, or by mailing a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Carter Tackitt
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you from the Tackitt Family!

Three siblings needs special service dog

By Nicole DeZarn

The DeZarn family needs your help to get a service dog. We have four children, one biological child and three children we adopted from foster care. All three have special needs. Our service dog will be trained to help all three of these children.

When we started the process of searching for an agency to provide a service dog, we were attempting only to get one for Mylie. Mylie is five years old and was born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD,) which is brain injury resulting from prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol.

As a result of her exposure, Mylie has seizures, global developmental delays, sensory processing disorder, muscular tremors, low muscle tone and some difficulty with chewing and swallowing. She is also beautiful, funny, joyful, and obsessed with all things pink and "princessy."

For Mylie, our dog will alert us to her seizures, which are silent and incredibly easy to miss. It will help to calm her when she is in sensory overload by providing companionship, distraction, and deep pressure.

Our dog will also be trained to walk with her on a tether system in public to keep her from dashing or wandering off in public on impulse and because she isn't always capable of watching where she is going and walking simultaneously.

At the same time we adopted Mylie, we adopted her biological sibling, Conner. Conner also has FASD but it is not as severe as Mylie's. Basically, he has some fine motor delay, ADHD and impulsivity.

However, unlike Mylie, Conner didn't come straight to us from the hospital, he spent some time in abusive settings that left him with anxiety and behavior issues. For Conner, we can use the tether system as well and our dog will be trained in tracking because he will wander off or sneak off to investigate whatever catches his eye.

The dog will also go in to interrupt and distract his meltdown/chaotic behaviors. Conner has a huge tender heart, he loves more deeply and truly than any person I've ever known, and he deserves a big warm fuzzy friend to help him through his tough moments.

Isaac was our little surprise. We planned to adopt a fourth child but only after Conner and Mylie got a little older (they were one and three when we adopted them.) However, our social worker came and told us about a little premie in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Kentucky Hospital who needed to go to a family who would agree to adopt him as termination of his biological parent's rights was highly likely.

We agreed and he actually attended Conner and Mylie's adoption. Isaac has a myriad of issues. He has a musculoskeletal condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, which causes clubbed feet, joint contracture and instability and hip dysplasia, among other concerns for him.

His speech is very delayed because his jaw is impacted by this condition as well. He had a bowel resection at birth that left him with food absorption problems which means he eats all the time, is supplemented with Pediasure and still is tiny-however, we are thrilled to say he no longer uses a g-tube! For Isaac, the dog will retrieve things he drops from his chair/walker and possibly hit door pads to open them for him. We also thoroughly hope that he will talk to give his dog commands and throw balls for him to fetch.

Needless to say, our dog will be busy, but he or she will also be thoroughly adored and well spoiled. Having an extra set of eyes and hands-er paws, will allow our family to do so many things we struggle with now, like vacations and trips to the park without asking people to go with us to help.

Trips in public will be easier and more safe and we can only imagine sleeping all night without worrying about silent nighttime seizures being missed.

Our family is so honored to have been blessed with these amazing children who have added more love and laughter to our lives than we could ever express; a service dog will help us open the world a little wider for them. I humbly ask that you would consider a donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Mylie, Conner, and Isaac DeZarn and help this dream come true.

Sincerely, Nicole DeZarn & Brandon DeZarn (AKA Mommy and Daddy)

Autism service dog will help Maggie in every area of life

By Angela Ward

Margaret Ward was born in January, 2002. She turned 10 years old in January of 2012. We discovered that Maggie had medical issues at birth. She spent 5 weeks in the NICU with breathing and eating issues. She was given a G-Tube and afterwards I was trained on how to take care of her, then she was able to come home.

Maggie started physical, occupational, and speech therapy when she turned three months old. She received services until the age of three, then attended the early childhood program through our school district.

She now attends public school and still has many therapies and services that the school provides. Maggie has been diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS), apraxia of speech, and is developmentally delayed.

Maggie has trouble with transitions from one activity to another, she is aggressive toward her paraprofessionals, and has tantrums and screaming fits at home and school. She also has a fear of doctors and dentists. She is considered nonverbal and at times gets frustrated when she is trying to communicate.

Maggie enjoys being with her family, traveling, and dressing up as a princess. She has a wonderful sense of humor and loves to laugh. Most of all, she wants to be included in everything we do. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Maggie would be beneficial to her and us.

A dog will help calm her when she has tantrums at home and school. When we go out as a family, Maggie tends to wander and sometimes gets out of our sight. A dog will help keep her safe in this type of situation. The dog will also calm her for doctor and dentist visits.

With middle school fast approaching, a service dog will be a way for Maggie to introduce herself to new friends.

I have talked to many families with service dogs for their autistic children and have heard how these dogs have changed their lives and how they help to better a child's quality of life.

4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Maggie. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with "in honor of Maggie Ward" in the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Maggie Ward
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Joshua needs service dog to track and help with social issues

By Patty Caudle

I have a seven-year-old son, Joshua Caudle with severe Autism and ADHD. I learned that there was something wrong with my son when he was just a couple of months old. He didn't smile or respond to any stimulation. I took him in to the doctors but it wasn't until he was six months old that the doctors agreed with me. Early intervention wasn't started until he was about nine months old and it wasn't geared towards Autism because his diagnosis of Autism didn't come until he was almost three years old.

Joshua has social issues. His life is set around cars, trains, and animals. He doesn't make friends. The previously mentioned items are life and friends. He becomes violent towards other people without cause and he is also a child who frequently runs away. He has run away in the middle of the night and has been returned home by the sheriff as well as other neighbors. On one occasion he was two feet away from a rattlesnake.

I have applied to 4 Paws for Ability for a service dog that works specifically with Autistic children to assist Joshua when he gets worked up, because the dogs have ways to bring an autistic child down from a frustrated level to having fun just by as simple nudge of a lick or dropping a ball in front of them.

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Joshua would be beneficial to Joshua, and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Joshua. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

The dog will scent the child and help me to seek out the direction in which he went so that I can find him.

Another good thing that a service dog will do is while in public while I am shopping, the dog is attached to Joshua and so Joshua cannot make mad dashes away from me.

The dog will be an extreme asset to me. I am not in the best of health. I can run and chase my son, however, the time that the dog spends with Joshua gives me time to take breathers . . . because Josh has a friend.

I have been writing to various organizations to obtain donations to help obtain the dog because my husband and I cannot afford it: we already care for a 34-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy and a nine-year-old granddaughter who had a traumatic incident happen in her life that will take many years to get over.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Joshua Caudle's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Joshua Caudle
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank You From Joshua and myself Patty Caudle, Joshua's mother and our family.

Little Carter needs a Service Dog that tracks, comforts, and more...

By Carter's mother, Cristy Barr

When our son, Carter Paul Scott, was 13 months old, he went into respiratory arrest, and was on a vent for five days. Then in August 2010 Carter suffered a severe developmental and behavioral regression where the following began taking place:

1. Began tip toe walking
2. Lost all eye contact
3. Began spinning
4. Lost all sense of danger and/or fear
5. Began to run away from us or safety
6. Lost about a word a week in vocabulary sometimes more

At that time, his tantrums became uncontrollable, and he began having horrible uncontrollable diarrhea, and "tummy attacks" or abdominal migraines.

We finally received a full diagnosis of his challenges: severe steroid dependent asthma, Subglotic stenosis(30% reduction in his airway), autism, and facial blindness.

While we've had many emergencies, the scariest were severe asthma attacks with danger of being fatal. Plus running.

Carter loves all animals, and music. He's a very affectionate loving child most days, but he does have times when he doesn't want to be touched. He has never been around any animal that he didn't want to love on. He likes deep pressure hugs, going to church, singing and dancing!

An autism service dog will be a great help in keeping Carter safe and out of danger (the ability to track him if he runs). A service dog will also help ground Carter and calm him when his emotions are overwhelming to him.

The 4 Paws approach to placement is that they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. While it will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Carter, we are only committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Carter's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Carter Scott
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you from Carter's family.

Autism Service Dog Needed For Our Adventurous Alex

By Tamara Wood

Alex was born in November of 2006, our first little boy. He was born healthy and continued developing exactly as he should. Physically he was right on track, he actually started walking at 9 months and hasn't stopped moving since! However, as he got older we started having concerns about his development in other areas.

Alex being our first child we didn't know exactly how he should be acting, but I decided that maybe he just needed to be around other kids more often in order to be more social and therefore started working in a church daycare and took him with me. I immediately started seeing that there was a major difference in how Alex behaved and how the other children behaved. When another child younger than Alex came up to me and very clearly asked me a question I was so shocked! I had no idea that Alex was so far behind!

At this point Alex had no words at all and didn't even try to communicate. The other children also seemed extremely affectionate in my eyes, but I realized that it wasn't that they were extremely affectionate it was that Alex just didn't show his affection in the same way they did.

We immediately took him to the doctor and by 18 months of age Alex was diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder). He was enrolled in all of the therapy and intervention that was available and was soon thereafter rediagnosed with Classic Autism (aka, severe autism).

However, it was actually more of a relief to get the diagnosis and understand why Alex rarely made eye contact, why he would rather us not touch him or interact with him, why he had such huge "tantrums," and why it was becoming increasingly difficult to get him to eat. Now we knew what to research and look for.

I am very happy to say that Alex has come a long way since then. He now shows us affection and love in his own way, maybe not with hugs and saying I love you, but by making brief eye contact, grinning, enjoying tickle-time, and by those rare occasions when he is the one to initiate play. He is still non-verbal, but we have been fortunate enough to have received a communication device that we call his "talker." We have high hopes for this!

Having Alex in our lives has drastically changed the way we live and how we view things. Constant vigilance is our ally with Alex. He does not yet respond to his name consistently and doesn't understand dangers. How do we explain to him that the street is dangerous if we can't explain what a car is or how it can hurt him? And, how would we get him to come back home if he doesn't respond to his name or crave social interaction?

We have about three locks on all doors leading outside, along with child safety doorknobs to keep him from getting out of the house without one of us. We dread the day when he figures out how to get around all of our child safety locks and precautions. We worry about him while he is away from us because he may get away from his caregiver and get hurt or lost.

A simple outing to the store could potentially turn into Alex running off and getting hurt. We have to keep a death grip on his hand or keep him on a leash and as he gets older this is getting more difficult to do. An autism service dog trained for search and rescue would give us some peace of mind because he would be tethered to it to help us keep him safe and if he did get away the dog could track him.

Besides the obvious dangers outside of the home we have to keep him out of harm's way in the home as well. Alex craves deep muscle stimulation in the form of jumping, spinning, flapping, and unfortunately, climbing. He is constantly trying to find ways to feed this craving and has no fear of heights. He is also trying to find ways to feed his craving of pica.

We not only have to hide the obvious things like cleaning products, but also anything we think he might think is edible to him…paper, pencils, erasers, dirt, chalk, soap, lip balm, wood, glue, play dough, toothpaste, etc… He is a very picky eater when it comes to actual food, but not household objects. Unfortunately, he has a hard time accepting things he doesn't like or anything new or different.

With Alex, a normal thing like a stomach bug turns into a trip to the emergency room because he refuses to drink anything but juice and chocolate milk and he gets dehydrated. He has sensory issues with his hearing, his mouth, and also to touch and so sometimes he has melt downs when he has sensory overload or frustration. This is where the autism service dog could possibly be helpful through behavior interruption. It is hard for us to get him to calm down during these melt downs because he doesn't want us to touch him and he pinches or hits us.

For some reason, Alex doesn't mind it if our friend's dogs lay on him and lick him and follow him around. We hope that an autism service dog will help Alex to calm down when he gets upset and possibly be helpful when we are trying to introduce something new or different to Alex. Through behavior interruption we hope that his service dog can gently redirect him from his stimming or from eating something he shouldn't and avoid so many melt downs.

Please help us to add some extra security for Alex in his life and hopefully provide him with a companion. Alex loves animals immensely and we dearly hope that he and his service dog will have a beautiful bond that will give Alex an anchor in his ever changing and stressful world.

Please go to www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html and add "In Honor of Alex Wood" in the special instructions box. Or you can mail a check with "In Honor of Alex Wood" in the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Alex Wood
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Please feel free to visit our Facebook page for Alex at www.facebook.com/fourpawsforalexw

God Bless! Tamara, Jeremy, Alex and Hunter Wood

Keilan needs a dog for tracking, calming, and seizure alerts!

By Kristy Noonan

Keilan Scott Noonan was born January, 2000. At six month of age, the pediatrician sent us to a specialist because Keilan's head wasn't growing. We were living in Naples, FL and went to Miami Children's Hospital.

At that time, we thought his only medical issue was just microcephaly with developmental delays. Currently the diagnosis is microcephaly, ADHD, migraines, and developmental delays. We are currently seeing a neurologist because they suspect a form of Cerebral Palsy. Keilan had his first grand mal seizure Nov 30th. We are thinking he's been having little seizures for a while and we didn't know.

Keilan does not speak in sentences. Instead we all play Charades. He acts out words and stories and people guess. Because of this he has frustration: lots of it! Keilan is 11 and will still bite, kick, hit, and spit on us (mom, dad, sis, grandma and grandpap). His handwriting is like that of someone of kindergarten age.

Keilan likes to wander off in public places. He's never met a stranger. Keilan is very mobile and loves his bike and his freedom. I can't trust him because he'll run off a mile or two down the road. During summer months we sometimes have to take the 4wheeler or start walking to find him. He gets very defiant when we say "No."

Keilan is going to middle school next year and as a mom I'm concerned. He's never had that much freedom before. I don't know how this is going to work. I want him to be treated like a "normal" kid.

We are like all families who have children with disabilities. We wonder what normal really is. Is Keilan not normal because he talks differently than other kids his age? Because he eats differently? Runs differently? Writes differently?

My son, Keilan is the normal that we know. He is Keilan and everyone around us treats him as so. He is active in Special Olympics with his favorite sport being golf. He holds the title for the youngest golf skill player to receive a Gold.

We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Keilan would be beneficial to him and us.

If he had a service dog that would calm him and track him when he wanders off our family life would be so different. Currently I'm guessing we are also in need of a dog that alerts us of seizures. As parents, we can't imagine our lives without Keilan. We would just like to see our life without so much worry.

Keilan's sister, Victoria, who is seven, wrote a special letter to Santa for Christmas. The main thing she wants for Christmas is for Santa to help her raise money for a service dog for her brother. The only she asked for herself was a pair of skates. As a mom I was shocked that she did this on her own.

4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Keilan We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you are able to help us with a tax-deductible donation, please go to the website or mail a check with "in honor of Keilan Noonan" on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Keilan Noonan
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Lend Michael a helping PAW

By Christina Roque

Michael Roque is a second grader at Millennium Elementary in Kent, Washington. His family is raising funds on behalf of 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency that trains and places service dogs with disabled children.

Mikey is a 7 year old loving little boy, who lives in a world of autism. He is 1 in 150 children that are diagnosed with autism, and 1 in 70 boys that are diagnosed with autism today. Mikey was a loving, happy baby who had normal developmental milestones, but around the age of one he started to show signs of autism. We didn't know much about autism and especially Asperger's which he is diagnosed with.

When he was 3 years old we were told by his preschool teachers that they thought he might have autism. We were in disbelief, but I came home and started to research and found that he did absolutely show signs of Asperger's. He started to see specialists at the age of 3; he wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until he was 6 years old. Mikey was also diagnosed with OCD, ODD, Anxiety, impulsive behavior, ADHD, and he now is seeing a doctor for possible bipolar.

Children with Autism tend to wander away and are unaware of environmental dangers such as traffic, bodies of water, or the ill intentions of a stranger. Mikey needs a strong companion at his side trained to provide the special assistance he needs. In addition to providing constant companionship and unwavering friendship, these four-legged wonders are specially trained in search and rescue skills.

Based in Xenia, Ohio, 4 Paws for Ability strives to provide service dogs to families and children that struggle with life's daily challenges and who would otherwise be turned away by many other agencies. 4 Paws trains a variety of assistance dogs, including but not limited to seizure assistance, mobility assistance, hearing ear dogs and autism assistance dogs. Some of the dogs even serve a little time in the Rover Prison Rehab Program as a stepping stone to becoming certified service dogs.

"We have discovered a magic that exists between children and dogs, a magic that can become a life-saving miracle for a child paired with one of our Autism Assistance Dogs," states the Paws website www.4pawsforability.org. You can help bring magic to Mikey's life by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws For Ability in Michael's name.

For additional information contact Christina or Michael Roque at 253-236-4014 or mikeandchristina10@yahoo.com. To contact 4 Paws directly call (937) 374-0385 or check out their website.

Sweet Sofia needs seizure alert service dog

By Sofia's parents

Sofia Wilkinson is a vivacious five-year-old who loves to dance, sing, collect rocks, swim, and take bubble baths.

Sofia has Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy that is often resistant to treatment and causes prolonged seizures among other issues such as developmental delays, behavioral and anatomical issues.

Sofia can never be left alone; we never know when a devastating seizure can strike. Sofia is very daring as she knows no imminent danger . . . as a lot of kids with Dravet Syndrome often do.

We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Alert Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Sofia would be beneficial for her and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Sophia. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

We think that having a service dog will improve her life tremendously! She will be more independent, which Sofia deeply craves, We as her parents will be more at ease when she is at school knowing she has a companion to help her with frustrations and in turn help her feel more at ease. Let's help Sofia get her life changing service dog!

We are asking that donations of any amount be sent to 4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385, in honor of Sophia Wilkinson. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in the form of check, money order, or online at www.4pawsforability.org/donations.html. Please be sure to put "In Honor of Sophia Wilkinson" in the memo section or in the special instructions section online.

Blue-eyed Brothers Need Autism Service Dog

By Mindy Ochoa

Joseph and Reuben Ochoa are two of the most adorable little boys you've ever seen. But hidden from this picture is a world of unpredictability and pain. Both boys have Autism.

Both were happy, seemingly normal babies; but somewhere between 12-18 months we started to see considerable deviations from typical behavior and development. Not responding to their names, perseverating on twirling socks or complete obsession with Michael Jordan. Then came the tantrums, and the self-injurious behavior. Just keeping them out of danger day after day was an arduous job!

As boys often do, they are finding new ways of getting into trouble. Joey is very sneaky, and has run away from our home several times. (Once, he went two miles in 20 minutes in only his underwear. With three adults in charge!) We have installed new locks, but now we're afraid he'll use a window.

"Where's Reuben?" is the most popular question in our family. He's there one second, and gone the next. Reuben has no fear of heights, or water. (He has climbed 15 feet up a tree and jumped out.)

We always make sure to have hold of him when out anywhere. He bolts as soon as he has the opportunity, an action that he finds most amusing. The boys also join forces as a demolition crew; shredding wallpaper and ceiling tiles to make confetti all over their bedroom floor. (Seriously, who has to duct tape their ceiling?) And Joseph puts his head through the wall and door whenever his temper rages.

Our family heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients, and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list.

Autism Service Dogs are specifically trained for the individual and their family. Our dog will be trained to help stop repetitive behaviors, calm destructive and aggressive behavior, and help keep tabs on runaways. The boys can be harnessed to the dog in stores and other crowded places, and the dog can track them if they get lost in the cornfield. (Yes, it's happened.)

It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Joey and Reuben. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsforAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Ochoa on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Ochoa
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, OH 45385

Safety issues prompt Lauren's need for Hearing Ear service dog

By Suzanne Rust

Lauren Elizabeth Rust, seven years old, was born with a mild/moderate loss in the low/high frequencies and her loss has progressed to severe/profound in the low/high frequencies.

Although she reads lips well, Lauren Elizabeth has difficulty hearing when people are not facing her. She currently wears hearing aids that work to translate the high/mid frequency sounds to low frequency.

Recently, she has become more frustrated with her hearing loss and the fact that she must work hard all the time to understand what's going on around her. She must pay attention visually or she will be lost.

While Lauren is a positive child, she sometimes feels sad that she is different. We have talked about how all of us have something that makes us different. And that it is not always evident what challenges someone is facing. She is truly excited about the opportunity of having a Hearing Ear service dog to help her daily.

Every school day is challenging for Lauren. When she comes home, she is very tired from having looked for all the visual clues throughout the day.

She does not have friends come over during the week because she is too tired from straining to hear and reading lips. She is constantly paying attention with an intensity that none of us that do not have a hearing loss can quite understand.

More recently, she has been sad that she is different and cannot hear many sounds. Because of the loss, Lauren is sometimes unaware of a situation going on around her unless she is looking that way. She doesn't have that sharp sense of sound that alerts most of us to look.

Lauren Elizabeth loves animals. She is currently learning to ride and is learning some sign. She has been carrying her sign book with her to school. She speaks well because she has been aided since she was three months old and has had speech services since she was 18 months.

She is smart, funny, and hard working. She loves to laugh. She is currently is a regular classroom and has an FM system. Her teachers report that she always gives 100 plus percent because she is always paying attention. She has help in the classroom by a hard-of-hearing teacher who helps her with instructions and understanding things she misses.

We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Hearing Ear Service Dogs. A furry set of ears is how someone put it! We think obtaining a dog for Lauren Elizabeth would be beneficial to her, and us.

4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Lauren. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

Lauren's loss has been progressive. It is entirely possible that she may lose the little hearing she has. Currently, a hearing dog would help alert to high- and mid-frequency sounds that she does not hear.

The hearing dog would be trained to alert her to someone speaking her name, emergency vehicles, alarms, teapots, telephone, etc. And a hearing dog will be really helpful in alerting Lauren to moose. We have moose in our yard several times a week.

Most important, when she is in public a hearing dog would signal Lauren to sounds in her environment that she simple cannot pick up because of the nature of her loss.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) and be sure to mention her name on the donation page . . . or mail a check with Lauren's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Lauren Rust
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Brothers need special service dog for calming and tracking

By Cameron & Jeremy's mother

Cameron and Jeremy are very close in age. When they were adopted, I was unsure to what extent their prenatal drug exposure would affect their lives. As the years pass, their difficulties are being revealed!

Due to the drug exposure, both boys suffered brain damage. Cameron was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder in 2007 and with ADHD-combined in 2008. Cameron has difficulty with emotional regulation and is socially-emotionally immature. He has trouble understanding others and sharing his own thoughts. Spatial awareness is also a challenge for him and so he runs into people and things.

Jeremy was also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, and in 2008 he was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. He also struggles with General Anxiety Disorder, ADHD-combined, and depression.

Both boys receive special education services and the services of a behavior therapist, and Cameron is in occupational therapy.

CAMERON

Cameron (right) has some autistic traits, such as difficulty shifting thoughts or activities. It's difficult for him to see that there is more than one way to do something or to switch from one task to another.

His difficulty with language and social situations can cause frustration that escalates into physical aggression, or he may just decide it's too hard and withdraw. His sensory processing difficulties can lead to overstimulation and so he has difficulties in groups or crowds.

Cameron is a very visual guy. He may not understand your point or get the joke, but he can do amazing things with construction toys such as Legos or K'Nex. He is also a very good artist.

JEREMY

Jeremy (left) is very sensitive to touch and sound. There was a time when even turning the faucet on was too much for him.

Although he can be very talkative, his anxiety and sensory processing cause him to avoid new situations or crowds. He is irritable and easily frustrated. When he becomes angry he gets in to a "fight or flight" mode. As a result he has run off or gone missing several times for as long as 20 minutes.

He is very argumentative and will often refuse to do something, just because someone in authority requested it. He has a difficult time calming down after a meltdown.

Jeremy is a very smart and energetic boy and he is very good at figuring out puzzles. Unfortunately, that same skill has earned him the name "Houdini." Before he was two or three he had even escaped from Sunday School. He is also an amazing climber, scaling an 8 or 10 foot metal basketball pole with his shoes on. At two, he found his way to the top of our 6 foot entertainment center. He has little fear, so his independent spirit and his ability to get away have become a safety issue. For this reason, all exits in our house require a key, to which he does not have access.

I heard about 4 Paws For Ability, (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. I discussed getting a service dog with my boys and they are both excited about the idea. This agency partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Cameron and Jeremy. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission, and know it is possible with the help of God and others.

Receiving an FASD service dog that is also trained in Search and Rescue will certainly help our family. First, the dog will be trained in tethering. This means that they will be connected to the dog and I will no longer have to make sure I have hold of their hands when we are out in public, giving everyone a little more freedom.

Our service dog will also be trained in behavior disruption. This skill will allow the dog to intervene to redirect harmful or repetitive behaviors and reduce or even prevent meltdowns. A service dog will be able to provide Cameron with the sensory input he seeks. For example, the dog will be able to lovingly apply deep pressure, which among other things will help him get to and stay asleep. A dog trained in Search & Rescue will also ensure that when Jeremy disappears, I will be able to find him.

There are things the dog can be trained to do, but there are some things a service dog offers that are not necessarily part of training. Having a service dog with us will make it obvious that there is something different about my boys, and people may be less judgmental and a little more understanding of their behavior.

Having a dog with them will also bring questions and maybe open the door to greater social interaction. There is also the calming factor of just having a familiar friend with you during transitions and in new situations. There is someone there who doesn't place any demands on you, but accepts you unconditionally.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation (make sure to note that it's in honor of Cameron and Jeremy) through the 4 Paws Donation Page found at (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Cameron and Jeremy's names on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability, In Honor of Cameron & Jeremy Flowers, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385.

You may also email questions or comments to a4paws4theboys@yahoo.com.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us (Ps. 67:1) - Thank you!

Jonathan needs service dog to cope with Autism, CP, PCSD, Asthma, Hearing Loss, & more!

By Misherald "Missy" Brown

As parents we all have our dreams and expectations of what our children should be like, but have you ever thought about what it feels like to live as a child who people see as different . . . but as a parent, you see this child as a special little person who is unique in his or her own way?

That is what I see when I look at my son, Jonathan Brown. From the day he was born, I became his advocate and his voice. Jonathan is an adorable five-year-old who has been recently diagnosed with Autism he was already diagnosed with Partial Complex Seizure Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Asthma, Hearing Loss, and a large delay in communication, cognitive skills, sensory issues, as well as his ability not to recognize pain.

To take all of this and put it with a child who cannot express himself when he is upset is simply a volcano ready to explode, because that is how intense his meltdowns are.

Many have asked, "Well what can a service dog do to help him achieve and overcome these issues?" A multipurpose service dog would be a complete blessing to Jonathan and me as well. It will also offer him a variety of opportunities including reducing negative behaviors and tantrum outbursts, decreasing sensory issues, increasing awareness of safety, and the ability to calm him through the day.

The dog itself is a great calming mechanism for Jonathan which will allow me to be able to take Jonathan to a public place and possibly elevate the stress of dealing with meltdowns as well as deal with a small child in a wheelchair wondering off.

A nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Jonathan.

We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. We are asking that you make a donation to help improve the quality of Jonathan's life so that he can continue to progress toward a more independent lifestyle.

We would appreciate if you are able to donate to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave, Xenia Ohio 45385. "In Honor of Jonathan Brown of Goose Creek, SC" goes into the memo line.

You may also make an online donation at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html. Please be sure to note that you are donating on behalf of Jonathan Brown of Goose Creek, SC.

You can watch his journey at http://4pawsforjonathanbrown.blogspot.com/.

Thank you!

Kennan Brower needs FASD/multi-purpose service dog

By Delmer and Ann Michelle Brower

Our son, Kennan James Brower, is seven-and-a-half years old. At age three, we noticed some things weren't quite right, but did not know how serious it was until a little over a year ago.

We discovered that because of nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine exposure in utero, he has the following diagnosis:

1. ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder)
2. ODD (oppositional defiant)
3. SPD (Sensory processing disorder)
4. DBD (disruptive behavior disorder)
5. Unspecified learning disorder
6. Probable FASD/ARND (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder/alcohol related neurodevelopment disorder)

The biggest challenges we've faced so far are acting out and disruptive behavior, name calling, difficulty controlling anger outbursts. Kennan has a hard time concentrating, and is very impulsive. He has a hard time learning from consequences, and had a hard time learning to read.

Certain types of textures, noises, and touches send him into meltdown. Writing and homework is difficult for him. He has problems sleeping through the night. It's tough making good friends and keeping them. He misses social cues, and has a hard time sitting still. Doesn't like school. Any change is difficult for him.

This sweet child struggles with frustration, sensory misinterpretations (kind of like crossed wires). He likes to be read to especially Box Car Children and A to Z mysteries. He likes to be outside. He likes art: PLAY DOUGH, chalk, paint. He likes music. He likes Legos and Star Wars, Phineas and Ferb show. He likes going to the zoo.

He is good with tools and baking. He's also good at memorizing and recalling them for skits. He is a happy child and has a contagious grin and can be very funny. He can be a good helper at times.

We believe a specially trained service dog will be a calming effect for Kennan in public situations where he is over-stimulated. It can help him calm down at night so he can go and stay to sleep, improve his attention span, improve social interactions with age matched peers, decreased aggression toward others and himself when he is over stimulated, and improve self-confidence and performance in school. He will be trained to be tethered, and can track Kennan if he wanders. This wonderful dog will also be trained to disrupt behaviors and hopefully lessen or prevent meltdowns.

We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog, in this instance an FASD/multipurpose dog, for Kennan would be beneficial to him, and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Kennan. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Kennan's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Kennan
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

P.S. Kennan was so excited about the service dog that he wanted to fund raise before we were approved. He talks more about the dog more than any other thing he has wanted, and this includes a Wii.

Service dog will be the wind beneath Gabe's wings!

By Susan Wickham

In 2010, my thirteen-year-old son, Gabriel Kakitis, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and severe social anxiety. Asperger's Syndrome is also known as High Functioning Autism.

He is sweet, kind, brilliant, and adorable. His wit is sharp and his uniqueness is endearing. He loves Nintendo, computers, riding his dirt bike, soft things, little things and cute things. He is an excellent cartoonist and story writer. He loves creating and has an unusually mature taste in music.

He has so, so much to offer this world. He's bright, and funny, creative, and focused. He has two best friends who are constantly by his side and he has a huge peer group from school who love him and accept him for being Gabe.

Gabe's anxiety has been the biggest obstacle to his quality of life. There are times when he is unable to do the things he loves to do. We think he deserves the chance to live a much more satisfactory life. But his brain sometimes wants to keep him hostage in an isolated world of anxiety. I think we may have found a way to give him more times of calm.

I recently discovered 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency that raises and trains service dogs to provide unique support for people with special needs as they transition through life. Our family has committed to raising $13,000 for 4 Paws for Ability in order to get a highly trained Autism Service Dog for Gabe.

An Autism Service Dog will be an unconditional and constant love and companionship. He'll have the dog by his side night and day.

I really think this dog will be the wind beneath Gabe's wings, giving him support and strength and joy, greatly improving Gabe's daily life for years to come.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Gabe's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Gabe Kakitis
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you.

Brain cancer survivor needs seizure alert service dog

By Ron & Lori Snyder

At first glance, William Snyder appears to be your typical 8-year-old, but he has been our little miracle from the start.

Our first-born son loves baseball, football, coloring and swimming. There's also something magical about his infectious laugh and crooked smile that touches everyone around him.

William is also an amazing big brother to his 4-year-old twin sisters, Megan and Marissa, and would do anything to protect them.

But William is far from your typical 8-year-old little boy. William is a brain cancer survivor.

William's journey began on May 23, 2003. On that day, after years of infertility, we were given our angel, William Daniel Snyder. Even though he was born four weeks premature, he was small but healthy - or so we thought.

William's first year flew by. We loved being parents and holding William was the best feeling in the world. But shortly after his first birthday we started to worry that he was not interested in walking.

Several doctors told us not to worry that he would eventually reach all the proper milestones. But, parental intuition told us otherwise. He soon began to regress, woke up each morning with tremors and soon began having seizures.

William suffered a 15-minute grand mal seizure on Labor Day 2004 and was hospitalized with a third set of doctors finally willing to figure out what was wrong with our angel. Then, on Sept. 9, 2004 doctors walked into his hospital room in Baltimore and changed our lives forever with the news that all parents fear: he had a tumor that was "big and in a bad spot."

Hearing those words left us feeling helpless, confused, devastated and scared that we were going to lose our precious angel, William, before his life had really began. The tumor was as big as a tennis ball and pressed against his brainstem, actually bending it into a "C" shape. If the tumor could be removed (the doctors were doubtful) it would be tedious and costly to William, likely leaving him unable to breathe or eat on his own for the rest of his life whatever that might be.

At one point, doctors told us to take lots of pictures so "we will always have the memories." At that point he was given two months to live.

Undeterred, we felt we had no choice but to seek a second opinion, which offered our little boy a glimmer of hope. At 16 months old, William underwent a 12-hour surgery to remove the tumor.

Surgeons removed about 90 percent of the tumor, but complications arose almost immediately. William had a stroke the next day and was in a coma for a week. He finally woke up on Oct. 10, which just happened to be his mommy's 28th birthday, a birthday gift we will never forget.

Unfortunately, William suffered from an infection before he could start chemotherapy. That delay in his treatment allowed William's cancer to come back in his brain and then spread down his spine.

Again, William's doctors were pessimistic in his chances of survival. Again, we were not going to let our boy down and begged to try one round of chemotherapy, which the doctors grudgingly agreed to try.

Thank goodness they did.

That treatment helped clear up the cancer. But, that was just the start of what has been a daily battle for William and all of those that love him over the last seven years.

Over the following year after his diagnosis, William underwent a dozen surgeries and many rounds of intense chemotherapy during a time when most other kids his age were learning how to walk and play. An outdoor adventure for him meant taking a short ride around the hospital floor in a wagon with an IV pole attached. This only came on days when he wasn't in an isolated room due to a compromised immune system.

Those treatments led to hospitalizations that lasted for weeks, including long stretches in the pediatric intensive care units and several near-death experiences.

There were strokes, four to be exact, intestinal bleeding, seizures, infections and countless other setbacks during the course of William's chemotherapy treatment. He also required numerous blood and platelet transfusions. Some of his chemotherapy even required William to get multiple baths a day just so his skin wouldn't suffer severe burns in the process.

As horrifying as those treatments were, William pulled through them like a true warrior and has been in remission for six years. However, that did not come without a price as such intensive treatments took their toll on his little body.

William, who was three-and-a-half before he could walk, was left completely deaf in one ear and profoundly hard of hearing in the other ear. He is also partially blind in his right eye and suffers from several types of seizures. Hearing aids, special glasses, daily medications and frequent doctor visits along with unpleasant medical procedures are all a part of William's daily life.

In addition, William also is developmentally delayed, has balance issues and suffers from severe anxiety, afraid of his seizures. Doctors have told us that William would greatly benefit from a service dog.

The dog would assist William with hearing (especially in crowded places), alert others when he has a seizure and provide him with a constant companion, especially at night when he has become so scared that he told his parents and neurologist, "I'm scared of having a seizure and dying."

Having a specially trained service dog will help William live a more productive and independent life as he continues to deal with the long-term effects of his surgeries and cancer treatments.

We have committed to raise $13,000 to help William with this cause. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with William's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of William Snyder
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Down Syndrome & Autism keep Ella on the run!

The four youngest Wynkoop children have DOWN SYNDROME. They are a joy and a challenge! They live with many medical needs.

In addition, Ella has classic non-verbal AUTISM and Joel is also on the spectrum. It's become hard for the family to go out because they never know how long Ella will hold a hand before she will drop, twist and run, sometimes into traffic. She has many meltdowns in new situations.

A Service Dog for Ella will be a LIFE SAVER! Ella could be tethered at the waist to the dog's harness, giving her a little more independence without being able to run away. The dog would be trained to give comfort when the kids are stressed at doctor appointments, disrupt meltdowns and to track the children if they get lost.

The dog would go everywhere with Ella and they'd become best friends. Other children might befriend her because of their interest in the dog. Please make checks out to "4 Paws for Ability," memo "in honor of Ella Wynkoop" and mail to:

4 Paws for Ability, Inc.
253 Dayton Ave
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Help Aarilynne McConnell from Summerville, SC Receive a Service Dog

By Christina McConnell

Aarilynne McConnell is a bright, sweet, and very beautiful 3 ½-year-old little girl who lives with her parents, an older sister, and a younger sister in Summerville, SC. However, Aarilynne suffers from several debilitating medical complications as well as global developmental delays (GDD).

Aarilynne was born 6 weeks prematurely after a complicated pregnancy. We knew Aarilynne was a very special child the moment we laid eyes on her. She was not breathing at birth and had to be intubated for several hours, then she was placed on a nasal C-pap for several days while she was in NICU.

While she was still in the hospital we noticed her whole body would tremble and vibrate spontaneously. The doctors said that the tremors were due to her having an underdeveloped nervous system from her prematurity. We accepted this response for the time being.

When Aarilynne was 2 months old the tremors were still present, so her pediatrician referred her to a neurologist who diagnosed her with Clonus.

Aarilynne began physical therapy at 4 months old to help with her gross motor development, which was already showing delays. Her physical therapist noticed that Aarilynne was having staring spells. Her neurologist said they were absent seizures.

Then at 5 ½ months old Aarilynne had her first Grand Mal seizure. This seizure was accompanied by a high fever and lasted 55 minutes nonstop. Once the doctors were able to get the initial seizure to stop Aarilynne continued to have seizures every 5 to 10 minutes lasting 10 to 15 minutes each for the next 4 hours.

That was the longest night of our lives! We were so afraid we were going to lose our precious angel. After a week in the hospital following several MRI's, CT Scans, and EEG's, Aarilynne was released. As time went on, Aarilynne continued to suffer from numerous Grand Mal seizures monthly averaging 40 minutes per seizure.

She has had multiple inpatient and outpatient EEG's, MRI's, and CT Scans performed as well as several hospital stays and ER visits due to her seizures. Her neurologists felt Aarilynne needed to be seen by a specialist.

At the age of 2, Aarilynne was referred to a neurogenetisist in Atlanta, GA. During our stay in Atlanta, Aarilynne had a mitochondrial test performed as well as a muscle biopsy of her left thigh, and a lower lumbar puncture. The results of these tests were devastating to our family. It was found that Aarilynne has a gene mutation called SCN1A. With this finding, Aarilynne was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome.

She was also diagnosed with Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Dravet Syndrome is a very rare neurological disorder that has global effects on the nervous system, mostly presenting in various forms of seizures. There are several triggers to Aarilynne's seizures. Being too hot, too cold, over exerted or too sleepy are just some of the triggers that puts Aarilynne into seizures.

Everything has to be carefully monitored for her, including bath water temperature. There is currently no cure for Dravet Syndrome. To date Aarilynne has suffered from over 2,000 seizures of various types. She averages 6 to 8 Grand Mal seizures a month. She has multiple absent seizures and seizure clusters daily.

Aarilynne has been on 11 different medications in a variety of combinations to help control her seizures. Unfortunately we haven't had much success. We have been lucky enough to be able to help bring some of her seizure lengths down to 5 to 10 minutes with some medications. This is something Aarilynne will always have to live with and this is a challenge we will face as a family!

She will always have constant visits to doctors, therapists, and hospitals. But Aarilynne is proving she is a fighter and she is determined to overcome this disability. Aarilynne has fortunately been approved to receive a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability located in Xenia, Ohio. 4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization that trains service dogs for children and adults with special needs.

Aarilynne will receive a service dog who will be trained to alert us if she is in a seizure, perform search and rescue should she get lost, tethering (where both Aarilynne and the service dog will wear special harnesses to prevent Aarilynne from running off into parking lots and in public places), as well as assist with behavior control.

Aarilynne receiving this service dog will be a true blessing to our family! It will allow Aarilynne to gain more independence and provide a safety net for her, as well as peace of mind for us, her parents. In accepting this service dog, we have agreed to become volunteers for 4 Paws to help raise $13,000 to support their mission of being able to place service dogs to families who need them.

We are asking that donations of any amount be sent to 4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385, in honor of Aarilynne McConnell. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in the form of check, money order, or online at www.4pawsforability.org/donations.html. Please be sure to put "In Honor of Aarilynne McConnell" in the memo section of checks and money orders or in the special instructions section online.

Please help us reach our goal of $13,000 so Aarilynne can receive her service dog and move forward to a more independent and safe life. For a further look into what life is like for Aarilynne, please view a video made by her family - Life with Epilepsy and Dravet Syndrome.

Autism & CP make Delaney a perfect candidate for a service dog

By Kayla Bugher

My daughter, Delaney Lynn Bugher, turned 4 years old on August 3rd. She has an older sister, Audrie, a twin brother, Gavin, and a baby sister, Seeley. When Delaney was born there were problems with her delivery. She was the second of twins born and there were complications with the umbilical cord. She was in the NICU for four days before she could come home.

We noticed that there were issues with Delaney at her first doctor appointment one week after she was born. When the doctor did the exam she told us that Delaney had low muscle tone. Later that year Delaney did not reach any of her developmental milestones. She could not sit up, lift her head, roll over, or hold her own bottle.

Delaney didn't sit up or crawl until well after her first birthday. When Delaney was two, we finally were able to get an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. She was given the diagnosis of Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy, Global Delay, and Autism.

Delaney has a very limited vocabulary. She gets frustrated when we don't understand what she is asking for or needs, so she does a lot of screaming and has many meltdowns. Throughout her four years Delaney has had chronic ear infections and has seen many doctors.

She has developed a fear of any kind of appointment where she may be examined. She screams from the time that we get out of the car at the appointment to the time we get home. We now work with the doctor's office to schedule her appointments near the end of the day or after hours so we don't disturb the other patients.

Delaney wanders and has no sense of danger. She LOVES to play and splash in water, but she can't swim. Delaney also stims or bangs her head when she is overwhelmed. Delaney has always been supersensitive to sounds and certain sounds seem painful to her. She doesn't sleep well, waking many times a night.

Delaney has balance issues due to her CP so she often gets tripped up when she is walking or tries to move at a fast pace. This frustrates her and she gets very angry when she trips and falls. She needs assistance moving though doorways, up and down stairs, and getting in and out of the car or bath.

We don't take vacations, eat out, or go to the grocery store as a family because Delaney gets overwhelmed and has severe meltdowns. We avoid any new places or situations because taking Delaney becomes a struggle.

Yet Delaney is loving, strong willed, sweet, and has a wonderful sense of humor. She enjoys splashing water (at us!) in her baby pool, watching Elmo and The Sword in the Stone. She loves to sing, listen to music, and play outside, especially in the water, dirt, or sand. She also enjoys riding the bus and going to pre-school. Delaney likes playing with her twin brother - on her own terms.

4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency, has accepted Delaney into their program and will be training a multipurpose service dog specifically for her needs. We are excited that Delaney has been approved for a service dog because we feel that it will assist her in some very difficult tasks that many people take for granted. Her dog will be trained to:

1. Alert us track her if she wanders away
2. Distract her when she stims
3. Assist her with stairs, doorways, etc
4. Be tethered to Delaney for "away from home" situations

Having a specially trained service dog will also give our family a chance to enter into some activities (e.g., vacation, community events, shopping, or just a walk in the mall) that we've been unable to together. We have committed to raise $13,000 so that Delaney and her future friend will be united as quickly as possible. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Delaney's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Delaney Bugher
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Seizure Alert Service Dog would help keep Alyssa safe

By Monique Volkman

When Alyssa Evon Davilla was 8 months old, she began having seizures, and at the age of 1 year she was diagnosed with a rare chromosome abnormality. She is now 13. Due to the chromosome abnormality she has developmental delays, sleep apnea, asthma, mild cerebral palsy, and seizures. She is also speech delayed and is primarily non-verbal.

Alyssa has many challenges, including family challenges caring for Alyssa. Alyssa sleeps in a bed next to her Mom and Dad but does not always sleep at night so that usually means Mom doesn't sleep either. Alyssa needs to be monitored at all times so that means there is not much free time for Mom. It is difficult to find other people to watch her as they are hesitant because of her seizures.

A seizure service dog would really be a help in allowing Alyssa the independence to sleep in her own room and know that the service dog will alert the family that she is having a seizure.

Alyssa is a very loving and sweet girl and love to give hugs. She is very curious and likes to figure out how new electronic toys work, especially ones that make noise and light up. Her favorite character is Dora the Explorer and her favorite place to go is Disneyland.

She loves the games on her new iPAD. She loves the water and is going to swim school and is very close to swimming on her own - a big accomplishment. She can't walk for long distances so she needs a wheelchair for long distances. She is unable to attend school because of her seizures but does very well being taught at home by her teacher, Maria.

She also receives speech therapy for her speech delay, occupational therapy for sensory issues and attends hippo therapy for physical therapy. She loves working out on the horses!

A seizure alert service dog would help identify when one of Alyssa seizures is coming on so she can go to a safe place and be attended to quickly. She could be more independent and would have friend/companion since she doesn't have many friends due to not attending a regular classroom.

We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Alyssa would be beneficial for Alyssa and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Alyssa. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

Having a special needs child is a blessing, but it takes a lot of work and energy. Having a seizure alert service dog to help identify when the next seizure is about to happen would really help ease some of the worry about not knowing and keeping Alyssa safe. We look forward to making the seizure service dog a well-loved member of our family.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Alyssa Davilla's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Alyssa Davilla
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Little Lock Picker Needs Autism Service Dog

By Laura Henderson

My son, Shane Henderson, was born Autistic. He was diagnosed at 18 months. The diagnosis would have come sooner, but there was a fire and our home was condemned. We lived in a hotel for a couple of months while looking for a new place and unfortunately had to delay some of the testing as a result. In addition to Autism, he has severe food allergies (particularly to gluten).

Shane can undo any lock. For example he waits until I have gone into the bathroom and then he goes outside or gets into the cabinets/refrigerator and goes straight to the food he is allergic to (I have caught him on more than one occasion using the shelves in the refrigerator to stand on so that he can reach the bread on top of the refrigerator). In addition to lock picking, he climbs very well, which gives him great access to forbidden food. If he eats the food he is allergic to it is like he is on drugs and he obsessively tries to hurt people (this is the only time he gets aggressive).

He puts everything in his mouth (as a result he has been exposed to lead poisoning). I have gone into his bedroom in the morning to find the corners on his dresser eaten, or window seals eaten. I have had to remove all wallpaper from his room; he finds a way to peel it off and eat it. Shane is only six and already a little over 4 foot and weighs 60 lbs. (muscle). He's getting too big for me to be able to stop him when he decides he really wants something. He is non-verbal, does not write yet, understands some ASL, but rarely uses it himself.

Shane is a very intelligent, independent, creative, sneaky, determined young man. His favorite activity is swimming. He enjoys anything he can manipulate (wheels, electronics, etc.). He is full of energy and is very happy. He wants to try everything, but does not want help. He loves to strum the guitar and pluck notes on the piano (he loves music). He will draw on everything and loves to use scissors when he can find them. He would live outdoors if he were allowed.

Shane has a very infectious laugh and smile (he has another laugh that he only uses when he is getting ready to break a rule). He can be mischievous at times. He is very observant (but watches from the side, he tries not to let you know he is watching), and as soon as you leave the room he will try to imitate what you have been doing. But if you acknowledge that he has done it, he will stop and not do it again while you are near. Everyone who knows Shane falls in love with him (we have to watch that too, as he will leave with anyone who seems nice. He manipulates people into sneaking things to him he wants that I don't allow).

An autism service dog would help Shane feel more comfortable when in surroundings he can't control. A service dog could help encourage him to not do certain behaviors. I would also be more at ease, knowing I have help to find Shane when he takes off (I worry about him leaving the house or getting into things every time I go to sleep or take a bath).

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability, (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Shane would be beneficial to him, and the family. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Shane. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

I am a single Mom. I have Shane and his seven-year-old sister, Hannah. She has her own medical problems, but nothing as severe as Shane's (asthma and allergies among many other things). Between the two kids I am at a medical office at least once a week (shots or checkups or procedures). We live in a low-income farming community with a population of 170 people. I work two jobs. My children are also homeschooled (public school times simply do not work with all the appointments and I am fortunate enough to be able to bring my children to work with me). We are doing what we can to raise the money. I know we can do it.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page found at (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Shane's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Shane Henderson
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Kabuki Syndrome means Devon needs a service dog

By Leslie Mann

I am currently trying to raise funds for a service dog for my disabled nine-year-old son, Devon Mann-Leathers. My son has a rare genetic disorder called Kabuki Syndrome. This disorder causes him to have seizures, autistic behavior, hypotonia, depression and anxiety, insomnia, developmental delays . . . and the list goes on.

I have taken great steps to ensure that Devon has every chance in life including taking him to speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and equine therapy. I drive to Plano, Texas two days a week, and Hannah's Horseshoes of Hope on Saturdays. I homeschool Devon because he cannot handle the routine in public school, as well as the tremendous amount of people that he would be surrounded by in the schools.

My concerns for his independence and quality of life are many. I believe that a service dog would greatly improve both. His doctor recommends a service dog because she believes that a service dog would help integrate him into the community he has lived in for all of his life, which is Bonham, Texas. She also believes that it would help him with his seizures as well as with his independence. Overall, she feels a service dog will improve every part of his life.

My goal is for Devon to have as much independence as possible and integrate him into the community. A service dog will be trained for tracking (Devon tends to wander), tethering for independence, behavior disruption, and seizure alerts.

Being accepted has become a major issue, as he is very hurt when others treat him differently and do not accept him. I am willing to do whatever it takes to help Devon, as well as commit to a lifelong responsibility to an animal that would provide help for my son. I will leave no stone unturned. Devon is my priority.

I have found a nonprofit that offers service dogs to people with disabilities. The training for a service dog usually is around $22,000. But with 4 Paws for Ability, the family volunteers to raise $13,000. I would greatly appreciate any help that you can provide. I would like to thank you in advance for reading this letter and for your compassion and donation.

Please help my son get the service dog needed to improve his quality of life. You can help Devon get his service dog by making a tax-deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Devon Mann-Leathers. This can be done by check, through mail, or through the 4 Paws for Ability website http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html.

4 Paws For Ability, Inc.
In honor of Devon Mann-Leathers
253 Dayton Avenue
Xenia, OH 45385

I would greatly appreciate any help that you can provide. I would like to thank you in advance for reading this letter and for your compassion and donation.

Little locksmith needs Search & Rescue Autism Service Dog

By Karen Bidwell

Hi, my name is Karen Bidwell and my wonderful husband is named Josh. We have two beautiful children, Tyler - five, and Micah - three. Josh and I have been married 15 years and cherish every moment we have with our son and daughter! Just a little less than six years ago, we believed we would never be able to have children. However, God had other and bigger plans, TIMES TWO!

I have a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS), which was the doctor's reason for us not being able to have children. Josh and I were devastated but that didn't keep us from trying. I took all the necessary medication and even added one of my own called "Ovulex." Within a month's time, our sweet Tyler was on his way to being our little buddy. And 18 months after he was born, his beautiful sister, Micah was born. Isn't God great!

Tyler was due to be born on Mother's Day of 2006. However, because I came down with severe preeclampsia, he was born 12 weeks early. His first two months of life was spent hooked up to wires and tubes in the NICU at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas. He learned to eat and to breathe during those two months and we learned to help him as best we could. There were ups and downs, but we never gave up hope of him being able to come home and live a normal life with us.

At the age of two, we took Tyler to his two-year checkup. The nurse did the usual questionnaire regarding his physical and mental development. A red flag went up when they were unable to get his attention and he was not speaking in small sentences as communication. We didn't think much of it because we expected delays due to his prematurity. So, the doctor referred us to Himmel Home Health for physical, speech, and occupational therapy.

We went ahead and enrolled him into the Head Start Program here in New Braunfels, TX. They were wonderful and it helped him get used to being around other children and get used to a school-like structure. When he neared the preschool age, our local school district did some testing of their own and gave us a probable diagnosis of Tyler being on the spectrum of Autism along with the speech delay. So, we took him to a clinical psychologist and sure enough, she officially diagnosed the Autism.

So, now, here we are, trying to find all possible ways to help our little buddy. He is a very loving and sweet boy. He loves animals and has a wonderful belly laugh. There are many frustration tantrums, but not near as bad as some I've seen. Poor baby just can't seem to tell us what it is he wants, but he's working on it.

Tyler has run off a number of times without us knowing it and it involved crossing the street to his grandparents' home. The first time this happened, I nearly had a heart attack. I cried and was so scared! We have an alarm on the door, but we don't always remember to turn it on. He knows how to undo barrel locks, dead bolts, and chain locks, so there's really nothing else we can do to keep him in except watch him closely all day. It makes getting housework done and having naptimes nearly impossible.

We saw a story on our local news about how dogs were being trained to aid people on the spectrum and we jumped right in and applied after searching many different organizations. 4 Paws for Ability has the only tracking plus Autism service trained dogs we could find. So, we are now in the process of fundraising for them in order to qualify for a service pal for our Tyler.

One thing about Tyler and our relationship, it all seems and feels normal to us. He was our first child and everything he has gone through has been what we would have figured was ordinary life. When we had Micah, his sister (the drama queen), she seemed to be the "different" one. So when people ask us if we are okay or were we devastated by the news of Tyler's diagnosis, we have to be honest and explain to them, "No," 'cuz it's all just normal everyday life to us. Even if it were hard for us, we wouldn't love our little bud any less!

God has a very special plan for Tyler and we see some of it each and every day.

Josh and I are volunteering to help raise $13,000 for training a dog for Tyler from 4 Paws. 4 Paws has a wonderful approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Tyler. And we can reach our $13,000 goal with your help. (They pay for the rest of the costs.)

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Tyler's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Tyler Bidwell
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

We Need A Helping Paw For CJ

Charles J Neuman, known as CJ, turns eight in August 2011. He and his family live in Junction City, Kansas. CJ is a very outgoing child and loves to play sports. He has, however, been diagnosed with the following:

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS/FASD)
• ADHD
• OCD
• Unspecified cerebral palsy
• Anxiety
• Some developmental delays

Some challenges that CJ and his family deal with on a daily basis include tantrums, anxiety, OCD, and impulsivity. Some of the symptoms related to FAS are very similar to Autism.

We believe a FASD service dog would be a tremendous help to CJ and the entire family. In addition to providing companionship, they are also trained in Search and Rescue, help soothe the child's tantrums and anxiety, and give some independence to the child.

4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit organization based in Ohio. They specialize in placements with people who are turned away by many other agencies.

Many children with FASDs have sensory issues causing involuntary repetitive movements or behaviors that seem out of place in a social context. These movements thus become the "signal" or "command" taught to the dog. The dog is then trained to disrupt the behavior by nuzzling the child or putting a paw on the child.

FASD Service Dogs provide support in a variety of environments, which result in improved communication and social skills. The training for a service dog usually is around $22,000. But with this organization the family volunteers to raise $13,000.

You can help CJ get his FASD service dog by making a tax-deductable donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of CJ Neuman. This can be done by check, through mail, or through the 4 Paws for Ability website http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html.

4 Paws For Ability, Inc.
In honor of CJ Neuman
253 Dayton Avenue
Xenia, OH 45385

Caden Green needs Search & Rescue service dog

By Polly Green

Caden Aivars Green, age eight, brightens the day of the people in his life. He is the sweetest little guy you'd ever want to meet, and he always has a kiss and a hug for you.

Born with Down syndrome, Caden's speech is very delayed. He can't communicate in an age-appropriate way. Caden prefers to play by himself, sort of in his own world, and to do his own thing. He doesn't respond in any way when someone calls his name, and tends to wander off quickly and quietly.

We live in a very large house, and because Caden is very active, he doesn't stay in one place for long periods of time. You can imagine all the hiding places that are available to him.

Caden loves music, his stuffed animals, and any live animal. This brings us to the idea of getting an Autism service dog from the nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability. This dog would be trained in Search and Rescue, and could at some point mean the difference between life and death to our boy.

Our family has tried having a "buddy" with him at all times, which is unfair to our children. We have used an alarm on him, but this too has proven not to be effective. Because Caden is too big for shopping carts, having a service dog will give him the freedom to walk with me when I go shopping and will give me peace of mind as well.

Though we watch Caden very closely, it never seems to be enough. A service dog will provide the added protection we need. Our family is volunteering to collaborate with 4 Paws for Ability to help raise $13,000 for training his Autism service dog.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Caden's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Caden Green
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Gavin needs Autism Service Dog for safety

By Brooke Wright

When our son Gavin was three years old he was diagnosed with Autism. This was one of the most difficult days of our lives, as any parent knows, who has been given a diagnosis regarding their child.

It took a while but we eventually realized that we could give Gavin the same opportunities as any child without Autism - if only he were given proper treatment and therapy. Realizing the importance of a child's first five years, we did not have time to waste.

Opportunities did not exist in the county in which we lived for Gavin to receive the treatment and therapy he needed. Therefore, we made the decision to move to Griffin, GA, where Stepping Stones Learning Center is located.

Stepping Stones is a private school dedicated to providing help to the Autistic, it has been successful in assisting many children with severe Autism go from non-verbal to being able to work in a regular classroom in only two years. We know that this is the best thing for Gavin's development and believe that he requires it in order to live the best life possible.

Gavin has attended Stepping Stones for one year and has made some progress but now we are challenged with Gavin wandering away from us. He also tries to pull away from me at stores. His repetitive behaviors take hours redirecting him and he has a hard time associating with children his own age.

My family and I would benefit in many ways having a 4 Paws Autism Assistance dog. The number one reason is safety! Gavin would not be able to pull away from me if he was tethered to the dog.

Also, the dog would be beneficial for tracking purposes, help cut down on the hours I spend redirecting his challenging behaviors and would be a companion for him as well.

The 4 Paws approach to placement is that they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. While it will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Gavin, we are only committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Gavin's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Gavin Wright
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Brooke, Steve, and Gavin Wright

Service Dog will be another miracle for Caleb Pack

By Caleb's mother, Robin Pack

In a matter of minutes, our eight-year-old son went from being a normal child with a stomach virus to dying on an ER table. Except that he began breathing again after 20 minutes. The doctors said he'd suffered an anoxic brain injury and recommended pulling the plug.

We chose to not pull the plug.

I would like to share with you the amazing story of our son, Caleb Matthew Pack. If we had listened to the doctors, our little boy would not be here right now. Granted, he is not the same as he was before this illness, but he is making improvements daily: improvements that doctors still will not acknowledge. Here is our story:

When Caleb was four, he was diagnosed as having Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Although this can be a crippling disease, it never slowed Caleb down. He still enjoyed riding bikes, showing horses, playing basketball, and video games. Since JRA is actually an autoimmune disease, Caleb's immune system had to be suppressed, making him more susceptible to viruses and illnesses. Other than that, life was pretty much normal for him and us.

When we moved to Kentucky, Caleb was able to attend public school for the first time. He absolutely loved being with his friends (which he made so easily!) and learning about any and everything. During the course of school he caught colds and viruses, but a quick trip to the hospital, some IV fluids, and he was back to life as usual.

On the evening of January 12, 2010, Caleb came home from school, did his homework, repacked his backpack and was ready for school the next day. But the next morning he had a touch of diarrhea and I kept him at home. I called his pediatrician who advised us that if the diarrhea got worse or didn't stop, then he would have to go to the ER for fluids. There was no sign of vomiting or fever but at 3 pm we took him to the hospital. He packed his own suitcase, making sure he took his favorite sleep pants.

When we got to the ER, he got in the wheelchair and was still talking to us. Once we got in the lobby however, I noticed his lips were blue. I told the receptionist he needed help now but the nurse on duty said he could wait his turn. I grabbed the first person with a uniform on and begged for help.

One look and they rushed him to the trauma room. After 20 minutes of frantically working on my baby, the doctor came over and told us that they had lost him and she was very sorry. While we were trying to process this information, one of the workers who had not finished unhooking Caleb from the monitors, yelled that he had a heartbeat! Our little boy was still holding on!

Another rush of activity and they moved Caleb from the trauma room to the ICU. They said he was in a coma and might never wake up. After several tests over the next couple of days, they informed us that Caleb had suffered an anoxic brain injury, was completely and totally brain damaged, and the best, most humane thing we could do was to unhook him and let him go peacefully.

We prayed and prayed, and knew without a doubt that God had a plan for Caleb or He never would have given him his heartbeat back. Of course the doctors did not see things our way, but we know the Great Physician who does not depend on "reports" or medical technology.

So far, Caleb has overcome every obstacle thrown at him:

• He was pronounced dead, but he's still breathing.
• They said his kidneys would never work without dialysis, but they work 100%.
• They said he would never breathe on his own, but he has no respirator or trach.
• He also swallows, coughs, spits, hiccups, cries, opens his eyes and looks around: the list continues to grow each day with things that he is not supposed to be able to do.

We spent almost 12 weeks in the hospital. Now that we are home, Caleb is still improving. The therapists are amazed at his progress, especially considering the initial assessment described him as being in a vegetative state and that he was "unrehabilitatable"!

Our world has been turned upside down. I no longer work, so that I can stay home and take care of Caleb. My husband has finally been able to go back to work full time. The hospital had told us that if we chose to bring Caleb home, we would be on our own and we would not qualify for help.

It is my understanding that there are programs and waivers out there for cases like this, but the government makes it difficult to qualify. One lady actually told me it would be easier for us to get help if I would leave my husband! Because we chose to honor our wedding vows and chose to bring our son home instead of letting them "legally and medically" euthanize him (my words, not theirs), we do not qualify for any type of financial help.

Along the way, we heard about the nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability. A service dog will be able to alert us to seizures or something else that may be going on, calm Caleb when he is overly stimulated, provide companionship when we cannot be by his bedside, make it easier for people to approach and ask questions instead of just staring and pointing. This dog will change our lives.

I tried contacting our local television stations and newspapers, but they do not see Caleb's story as "a miracle" because his "quality of life" is not good. They do not see all the miracles God has already worked in this one small life. But they will.

4 Paws has a unique approach: they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Caleb. We are committed, as volunteers, to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Caleb's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Caleb Pack
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

To read the entire story, we invite you to visit Caleb's website at http://www.calebsmiracle.com

The Pack Family: Richard, Roberta, Cody, Alana, and Caleb
Mt. Eden, KY
pack family@hughes.net

Hearing Service Dog Will Help Keep Nikki Hardin Safe

By Nikki's father, Dallas Hardin

Amber Nicole (Nikki) Hardin is a very active little seven-year-old girl who loves to play outside and loves to dance. She also loves school, and has never met a stranger. She has been deaf since birth.

Nikki also loves animals of all kinds, and has an older brother Tyler, age 11. She has also been attending public school from the age of 3. One of the biggest challenges we face is in the area of education, and safety is also high on our list.

To understand why a Hearing Service Dog would be so valuable, you need to understand that I'm legally blind and suffered a stroke about a year ago. As a dad, I am her protector, and it's a challenge to keep her safe.

Sometimes she plays outside at night, and because she can't hear anything, this is especially dangerous. Also, we need to be able to alert her in case the fire alarm goes off, which brings me back to the dog. It would not only give her mother and me peace of mind in such situations, but we would love to see her bond with a service dog. There are so many advantages and possibilities.

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Hearing Service Dogs. Dottie and I are volunteering to help raise $13,000 for training a dog for Nikki from 4 Paws.

4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Nikki. We can reach our $13,000 goal with your help. They pay for the rest of the costs.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Nikki's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Nikki Hardin
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Taylor Needs Service Dog for Tracking & Love

By Taylor's parents

Our son Taylor is a happy and energetic 5 year old boy who loves to swing, play basketball, and take walks around the neighborhood. He has a very gentle soul that melts the hearts of everyone he meets. One of his favorite places is the beach where he is fearless in the waves and will watch them roll in for hours.

But sometimes life can be pretty hard for Taylor. He has PDD-NOS, an Autism Spectrum Disorder which makes establishing social connections and communicating difficult. Taylor is completely non-verbal, relying on sign language and a specially programmed iPod for communication. His lack of communication and his tendency to make odd sounds scares other kids his age away. He has yet to make a friend so he spends his time playing with Mom and Dad.

We worry about Taylor wandering off while he is lost in his own thoughts. He can be a bit impulsive and run off without warning. In fact, in the time it took to check on dinner he recently unlocked and slipped out the front door only to be retrieved by a neighbor. Since he cannot talk and has no concept of the dangers of traffic or strangers, we worry that Taylor could become lost. Particularly since he has no way to tell people who he is or where he lives.

Something else that makes life hard for Taylor is a very rare and very painful genetic condition called Hereditary Pancreatitis. He has attacks where his pancreas starts to digest itself on a regular basis. In 2010, he spent about a third of the year in the hospital treating these attacks. The treatment for these attacks is to provide IV fluids and restrict all food and drink until the attack passes. Imagine the heartbreak as you watch this brave little boy willingly hold out his arm for the 10th IV placement this year because he knows it will help the pain in his tummy.

The great people at Texas Children's Hospital make a big effort to make us feel welcome and provide play areas, but it is still pretty hard spending all that time at the hospital. Particularly when you have social issues that cause you to shy away from the activities they provide. This can make the hospital a very lonely place for a little boy who is hungry and in pain.

Due to the chronic pancreatitis, he has difficulty absorbing nutrition. So when he is not at the hospital, Taylor has to have additional help to keep his weight up and rest his bowels. Taylor would be malnourished without the aid of the IV nutrition or through the tube in his stomach. The major downside, particularly for the IV nutrition, is that Taylor is forced to remain inside during the heat of summer.

Recently Taylor was accepted by 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency that specializes in the training and placement of service dogs. 4 Paws provides highly trained dogs specifically trained to support each individual's needs.

While we realize that a Service Dog is not a cure for Taylor's conditions, we feel that the friendship and unconditional love provided by a dog that is trained to help him cope with some of his challenges would be a blessing in our lives. Some of the specific ways the dog would provide help for Taylor are:

• Be a loving and devoted friend that would provide comfort while he is in the hospital or forced to stay indoors.
• A Service Dog can be trained for search and rescue if Taylor gets separated from us.
• A Service Dog can be tethered to him keeping him near us while still letting him have some freedom to walk around on his own.
• The dog would be an excellent icebreaker to help him interact with other children.

Training service dogs is very expensive. It costs 4 Paws an average of $22,000 per dog to be placed with a family. At 4 Paws, they partner with the child's family, who become volunteer fundraisers and make a commitment to raise a minimum of $13,000 for the agency to qualify for a dog. We appreciate your support for Taylor and 4 Paws for Ability by making a donation in honor of Taylor McCraw.

All money donated in Taylor's name is tax deductable and will go for the training of his service dog. Please make donations to the following address and indicate in the memo line that the donation is In Honor of Taylor McCraw.

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave
Xenia, Ohio 45385

You may also donate online at: http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html.

For additional information you can contact Taylor's family at friend4taylor@consolidated.net

To learn more about 4 Paws for Ability, go to http://www.4PawsForAbility.org.

Autism Service Dog Will Help Aidan and Family!

                

Aidan Alexander Agront, age five, was diagnosed with a number of medical issues when he was two. Aidan is on a lot of medication. He has autism, is usually non-responsive, and has almost no interaction with family and children of his age. He's sleep deprived, very hyperactive, has Sensory Integration Disorder, ADHD, and Apraxia Disorder.

There are many ways an autism service dog could help make Aidan's life better. The dog could keep an eye on Aidan to make sure he doesn't run out into the streets or run off. It would keep him safe from danger. It would also alert us if there is something wrong. The dog could also help Aidan keep calm by putting his head (or a paw) on Aidan's lap. Whenever we are out in public the dog would help Aidan behave with the behavior disruption touch.

The dog would benefit us by giving us a break from the meltdowns that Aidan has on a day to day basis. It would also give us a peace of mind that the dog could find Aidan if he should ever run and hide from us which he likes to do sometimes.

One other thing we are hoping the dog would be able to help with is his ADHD and sleeping meds. If the dog would allow him to calm himself down and sleep by himself without taking meds that would be a huge step in the right direction. Aidan also has a lot of blood work because of his chronic illness. We are hoping that the dog will help make this easier by keeping him distracted and calm.

We heard about the nonprofit agency 4 Paws For Ability and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Aidan would be beneficial for everyone concerned. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Aidan. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Aidan's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Aidan Agront
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Little Animal Lover Needs Autism Service Dog

By Shyanna's mother, Charla Gretz

Shy (as we call her) is four years old, and was diagnosed with autism in September 2009. However, we knew something wasn't right for a long time before.

Shy has meltdowns, will pull her own hair, bite herself, flap her hands, and she has a hard time socially. With these issues, it's difficult for her to make friends with other children. Shy has also wandered away from home, and this is a deep concern. Loud noises are also a problem.

She also has low speech, which can make it hard to understand what she wants. Plus she gets upset when she's not understood. Outings are a big challenge because of the meltdowns and her social withdrawal. She has been lost twice.

Shy loves any and all animals. She has a mini horse at her grandmother's, and loves to ride. One of her favorite things is to pretend to be a dog. She goes to preschool three days a week and she gets speech and Occupational Therapy there. She loves school.

There is only a small group of food that she will eat, and she also takes meds to help her sleep. Otherwise, she doesn't sleep. We think having an Autism Service Dog would be very important in Shy's life. She needs help that such a dog can give.

I'm hoping the dog will be that best friend Shy needs. This will also give me peace of mind by knowing she'll be tracked when she runs off.

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list.

The cost for 4 Paws to place a dog with Shy is $22,000. And we are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. We can reach our goal with your help.

It took a long time for Shyanna to be diagnosed with autism. She was almost three before we found someone who would listen. But getting the diagnosis has been so helpful: it has led us to many programs for Shy. This includes 4 Paws for Ability.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Shy's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Shyanna Gretz
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Malachai needs calming, loving Search/Rescue service dog

By Leanna Hatfield, Malachai's Mother

Our fun loving very energetic son, Malachai, is in need of a service dog to help calm, modify behaviors, keep him safe when out in public and to help him through the challenges of having Autism and seizure disorder.

Malachai was born June 15th, 2001. He was always a very joyful, happy and easy-going baby. He hardly cried. He was my perfect little shopping buddy. Malachai, before age one, met only a few of his milestones. He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at age one. Later, at age two-and-a-half, he was diagnosed with Autism and seizure disorder.

Malachai is significantly delayed in all areas to include communication (non-verbal), adaptive behaviors, cognitive skills, social relationships, and self management skills. Malachai also has sensory issues. He is very oral and likes to chew (preferably his shirts). He is always trying to rip his shirts, pants, and socks, but mostly his shirts. He also likes to pull hair and grab at others, not realizing he is hurting someone.

Malachai can have extreme meltdowns when he's upset. He is not able to calm himself. I feel that when Malachai becomes agitated, a service dog could help Malachai through these difficult and challenging events he experiences through his everyday living.

He attends school every day. He is in a self-contained severe Autism classroom. He loves going out into the community on their weekly outings, mainly because he enjoys riding the bus so much.

He also enjoy going to adaptive P.E. and music during his school day. He receives Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy while at school. He also receives Occupational Therapy from a private therapist. Malachai's most liked activity would be the touch screen computer. He gets very upset when it is time to step away from the computer. Malachai is so loved at school by his teachers and peers. He has such an unforgettable personality.

Malachai enjoys playing outside, swimming, and swinging. He also plays on a special needs baseball team. He expresses enthusiasm when he gets out on the field with the other players, running around the bases and chasing the ball. I assist Malachai when it is his turn to bat and run the bases. He laughs when he hits the ball and runs around to home plate. It is very heart wrenching seeing him and his peers enjoying the game.

Malachai is a very happy boy, but he requires total assist and one-on-one supervision throughout his daily activities. He requires total assist for feeding, bathing, and toileting. While in public he requires complete one-on-one assist because he has no fear of his environment. If you let his hand go, he would just keep going, not understanding any dangers that may be in his path.

Malachai is non-verbal and uses some picture symbols and voice output systems to communicate, but requires hand-over-hand assist. He cannot be left unsupervised for any reason. Malachai is not able to engage himself in any play activities on his own. He does not understand how to manipulate toys on his own, nor does he understand how to join in activities with his peers. Any activity he participates in is done with hand-over-hand assist.

Having an Autism Service Dog would be such a blessing for Malachai and our family. I feel that this would be such a great opportunity for him. I think a service dog would help Malachai reduce negative behaviors and tantrum outbursts, decrease sensory issues, promote safety and calm him throughout his day. I know it won't magically make him better, but I feel that giving Malachai this chance will help him cope with his environment.

It would be a great calming mechanism for Malachai. While taking Malachai in public places, a dog could help keep Malachai safe. A service dog would be Malachai's playmate. I really feel that Malachai is in great need of a service dog and he really deserves this service dog to be part of his puzzled life.

A nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Malachai. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

We would appreciate your making a tax-deductible donation to:

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Checks should be made out to 4 Paws for Ability with Malachai Hatfield written on the memo line. You may also make an online donation at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html.

Damien needs service dog to track, distract, and also act as his ambassador

By Damien's mother, Samantha

My son Damien will be nine on May 9, 2011. He is a compassionate, loving, and smart boy who also loves animals. He just so happens to also have:

• PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, form of autism)
• Tourette Syndrome (motor and vocal tic disorder)
• Dysgraphia (neurological disorder dealing with the function of writing)
• Generalized anxiety
• Obsessive compulsive symptoms
• ADHD
• Weaknesses in executive functioning along with sensory processing at times

All of this put together leaves Damien feeling scared, stressed, over-sensitive, angry, and alone. Even though Damien is high functioning autistic, he still has issues going though every day life. He still has episodes of meltdowns where he can not verbalize or be calmed. During these meltdowns, he tends to want to run away and isolate himself. This causes concern for his safety for so many different reasons.

To have a service dog trained in search and rescue would be very reassuring to us as we know he can always be found and even tethered to the dog to hinder him from darting off in the first place. He looks like a "normal" kid but does not perform at the same socially acceptably ways that come naturally to most. He has a difficult time making or keeping friends. He still likes to do all the things that other kids like such as swimming, painting, watching movies, and going on family vacations.

By giving a service dog to Damien, we hope that it will alleviate his stress and frustration with everyday tasks such as getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and even playing. We hope that the service dog will be able to prevent any future meltdowns before they occur with the behavior disruption training.

This service dog will make Damien's confidence go up, help socialize and make friends easier, as well as getting the attention of the public to see there can be a disability there even when someone looks "normal."

Right now his interactions with the public are generally negative as he appears to be a healthy child with behavior issues, the service dog will also act as an ambassador prompting questions and conversations instead of stares and snide comments. Which will be of great benefit to the low self-esteem that accompanies most of these disorders.

"We have discovered a magic that exists between children and dogs, a magic that can become a life-saving miracle for a child paired with one of our Autism Assistance Dogs," states the 4 Paws website at www.4pawsforability.org. You can help bring some magic to a child's life by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws For Ability.

If you would like to help by making a personal donation:

Just use the donation form provided and write Damien Widmer in the memo section of the check. Simply fill out the information and follow the directions to send it in. You will receive a letter of receipt back from 4 Paws for your 2011 taxes.

Please make checks out to - 4 Paws For Ability. Please be sure to write: "In honor of Damien Widmer" in the memo portion of your donation check.

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave
Xenia, Ohio 45385

If you would like to sponsor a fund raising event for 4 Paws in Damien's please contact Samantha at e-mail at 4pawsforDamien@gmail.com.

Man's Best Friend, Ben's Big Wish

Every boy dreams of getting a dog, but for seven-year-old Benjamin Hillen, this dream has become a necessity. The problems started in 2003 at his birth: Ben would choke on milk, stop breathing and spend every night screaming in pain. Both his doctors and parents were mystified, and it took 14 long months for the cause to be identified - he has Arnold Chiari, a rare brain malformation that typically doesn't present symptoms until much later in life. Ben is now autistic.

Two brain surgeries followed the diagnosis, the first at 14 months of age and the next shortly before his second birthday. Though the surgeries successfully relieved the pressure inside his skull, they also caused a roster of other problems: brain damage, sensory disorders, vision problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a g-tube for feeding.

Although Ben has suffered from birth, he still has the spark of childhood in his eyes. He loves to play with his seven siblings, who range in age from 5 to 22, and is particularly fond of video games. His mother, along with tutors, teach him math, science, social studies, and English, as well as specialized studies, such as appropriate behaviors. In addition, he attends speech and occupational therapy. Unfortunately, his issues still make everyday life difficult.

Ben's sensory disorder compels him to choke himself, while his autism makes it difficult for him to distinguish between safe and dangerous activities. He will stand behind running cars to smell the fumes and will inhale aerosol cans. When scared, Ben hides and doesn't talk, making it difficult for his parents to locate him. Due to the extensive medical procedures he's undergone, doctor appointments terrify Ben, causing him extreme emotional distress. Unfortunately, doctor appointments are a way of life for Ben. He faces the prospect of another brain surgery in the very near future.

This is where a service dog comes in. 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency dedicated to training and providing service dogs to needy children, will provide Ben with a service dog that calms his nerves while keeping him safe. Each service dog undergoes months of training before being adopted, and is carefully selected to ensure maximum compatibility with the family. Unfortunately, the cost is $13,000.

"He needs the dog; it's a matter of life or death," said his mother, Nancy, of Massillon. The Hillen family was approved for a dog by 4 Paws for Ability just before Christmas. Nancy is working with the organization to come up with fundraising events. They must raise $9,000 before the dog selection process begins. In order to choose a dog that is best for Ben, the Hillen family must videotape him at his best and worst.

After a selection has been made, the Hillens must travel to Xenia, OH and stay with the dog 24 hours a day for about two weeks to make sure the dog and Ben are a compatible match. If the pair works well, the training process continues, and is specifically tailored to Ben's needs. Once $13,000 is raised, Ben will finally have his dog.

The Hillens have received $529 thus far in donations. They still need $12,471. "To be honest, at times it seems unreachable," Nancy said. Still, she is optimistic. "If 1,300 people donated $10, we could reach $13,000," she said. "It may seem like a lot, but Jesus has done much bigger miracles in Ben's life."

Donations can be made online at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html , or by mailing a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Donations must be made in Benjamin Hillen's name. 4 Paws for Ability is a 501c organization; all donations are tax deductible.

Pint Sized Taekwondo Champ In Need Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Service Dog

Our son, Coty Michael Hines was born May 8, 2000. We adopted him through a local adoption agency and were blessed to be able to care for him for the duration of his stay in NICU and bring him home from the hospital.

Unfortunately, Coty had a rather rough start to life due choices his birth mother made during her pregnancy. She did not have prenatal care for Coty, smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol throughout her entire pregnancy and also used cocaine and marijuana. Coty suffered six weeks of withdraws from the drug exposure and has permanent brain damage from her alcohol abuse. FAS is the leading preventable birth defect associated with mental and behavioral impairment.

His official diagnoses are:

• FAS
• In Utero Drug Exposure
• Sensory Integration Dysfunction
• ADHD
• PDD
• ODD
• OCD

The first several years of Coty's life were difficult. He was constantly sick with various ailments. He wasn't able to interact with many people outside of our family during his infant and toddler years due his persistent sickness and hospital stays. He struggled to reach his numerous milestones including delayed crawling, walking, and talking. Communication was a rather large hurdle. He also had a volatile temper before he was a year old.

Coty's temperament can change on a dime; he "feels" frustration even if someone isn't showing their frustrations. Most often he lashes out with unacceptable verbal language and physical hitting. Thinking before you act is not in his makeup. He can be a sweet, cuddly, people-pleasing little boy one second and an aggressive, foul-mouthed, angry boy the next. FAS children also struggle with remorse. Thankfully in the past several years Coty has begun to feel sorry for some of the choices he makes.

Coty also suffers from several other issues as a direct result of FAS. He is small for his age, academics are a constant struggle, he lacks social skills, suffers from short-term memory loss, and lives in a very black-and-white world. These issues, combined with his other diagnoses make life for Coty very challenging.

Everyday simple tasks at times seem almost unattainable for him. The easiest action is for him to shut down. People assume this behavior is because he is lazy and we need to brush up on our parenting skills. Fortunately we know this is Coty's way of saying I cannot do what you need me to do. We struggle daily, sometimes hourly to get him to accomplish necessary life skills. Thankfully we have a great support system of family and friends who may not truly understand Coty and his birth defects but love him for who he is!

We truly found his passion in life when we enrolled Coty in taekwondo. Coty participates in taekwondo at Star Martial Arts in Elkhart, IN. It was an uphill struggle for him to remember the necessary skills, however we are proud to say he earned his black belt in June of 2010. Coty has his sights set on earning a World Title and becoming a Master someday in the American Taekwondo Association. Last year Coty earned three State Champion Titles and is on track to earn at least six State Champion Titles this season. He is competing in three Top Ten events with the chance to earn a World Title. That's pretty amazing for a pint-sized little guy with motor delays and short-term memory loss! His instructors are wonderful and have found "tricks" to help him succeed!

We are applying for a FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) Service Dog from 4 Paws for Ability. We know obtaining a Service Dog for Coty will help him succeed for many reasons.

1. Coty requires a lot of "heavy work" and cuddling. Having a service dog to be an extra set of hands would be wonderful for the cuddling and "heavy work."
2. He also perseverates (to repeat something insistently or redundantly) a lot, and having a dog could help us redirect his attention. The Service Dog will be taught commands to help redirect Coty.
3. The Service Dog can also help with his social cues and thus help his confidence.
4. Help stop unwanted habits, head off meltdowns and control impulsiveness.
5. Responsibility is a struggle, having a dog to help take care of would also teach Coty responsibility, patience, and work ethic by caring for his dog.
6. A Service Dog would also help Coty when he is in a situation where guidance and understanding is needed. Coty suffers from birth defects all over his body on the inside and out but to most people he looks like a "normal" little boy who acts inappropriately most of the time. Caring and compassion from people outside "his" world would be fantastic!

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Coty would not only benefit him but the rest of our family as well. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement: they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Coty. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Coty's name on the memo line along with the enclosed donation form to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Coty Hines
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Heather needs Autism service dog to calm, modify behavior, and track

By Charlene Donahue

The day Heather Elizabeth Donahue was born, the nurse carried her by the foot of my bed, and there was this look in Heather's eyes that called out to my mind that something was not quite right. I knew it wasn't anything that the doctors could diagnose right then and there, but my heart knew something was different.

As Heather approached early childhood milestones, she was delayed significantly in developing speech as well as other behavioral developments. At the age of two, she began receiving services through Early Childhood Intervention for her speech and behavioral delays. At the age of three, she spoke at a year-and-a-half-year old level and now at the age of five, she speaks and comprehends at a two-and-a-half- to three-year-old level.

Around the age of two, Heather became an escape artist. She would leave the house and wander down the street. Fortunately we have great neighbors, and Heather was returned home to us safely. My husband and I installed latches on all exit doors to help ensure her safety, and even after doing so, she escaped out a window. We found her pushing a stroller in the street in front of our house.

Although the escapes have lessened, they still occur. Heather's impulsivity leads her outside without any thoughts of consequences for her safety or surroundings. For example, she left the house to chase an animal through the neighborhood in hopes of petting it, and she left the house and headed down the street with a gallon of milk because she was told she couldn't have that fifth refill.

Heather also experiences increased anxiety in public places, at school, and at bedtime. In public, she will yell at strangers who address her with a simple hello. Or when overwhelmed and exhausted she'll lie on the floor in front of the shopping cart while screaming. There are times when we're in the store when she will get frustrated and leave my side to run and hide in the store.

When at preschool, her levels of anxiety elevate to the point to where she will totally withdrawal from the class or try to self calm by doing such things as stuffing her mouth full of Kleenex while trying to hold back tears. She also constantly demands the teacher's attention by wanting to be held or comforted. Bedtimes are horrible for Heather. Again, she has that constant need for comfort to help bring her anxiety levels down. Many nights I will awaken to find her asleep in my bed or in front of her older sister's locked door. Although we try to get Heather asleep around 7:30 pm, it is not until 10:30 -11:00 pm on the average that we can get her to stay in her own bed and fall asleep.

In September of 2010 we were finally able to obtain an appointment at The Children's Center in Salt Lake City, Utah in hopes of having Heather evaluated by a licensed child psychologist to help us determine if there was something we were missing as parents. After a thorough testing and evaluation process, Heather was diagnosed with Autism, Anxiety Disorder, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and ADHD.

Heather has the most compassionate heart of any child I have ever met. She is very nurturing towards those who have been hurt or are sad. She is quick to get a Band-Aid, give a hug, or give a favorite stuffed animal or toy to someone who appears to be suffering. She will pat them on the back and tell them "That's okay sweetie, you'll be fine." There is this magical twinkle in her eye that, when coupled with her gorgeous smile, can illuminate an entire room.

She is very physically active and loves participating in gymnastics and in a weekly special needs ice skating lesson. She loves riding her bike, and during the non-snow months, you can find her pedaling like mad down the sidewalk. Heather also absolutely loves animals. When on a pony ride or petting a goat at a petting zoo, Heather radiates a peace that doesn't exist elsewhere in her life.

Another challenge Heather faces is that she has a hypersensitivity to sound. This often turns a fun day at a park into a nightmare where she runs to the car with hands over her ears while crying hysterically in pain. She absolutely hates the sound of somebody going down the slide. There are times at local holiday parades where there is "gunfire" loud horns / sirens, etc., which cause hysterics and absolute panic.

At the last parade we went to the sound of gunfire caused her to leap into a complete stranger's lap to bury her face in this poor woman's chest as she (Heather) screamed in terror! Needless to say, 4th of July fireworks are out of the question, as they too send her into hysterics.

We miss out on a lot of celebrations and events because it becomes too overwhelming to her physical senses. She also has a hypersensitivity to touch and smell. The unique challenge of touch leads to a constant battle of getting Heather to leave her clothes on and the smell issue leads her to tell people quickly how bad they stink.

Heather also does not know how to self play/entertain and is therefore very demanding of my time and energies. This allows me very little time to attend to other household responsibilities and quite frankly is exhausting me! If Heather is not engaged she will turn to overeating, waking her siblings from naps for entertainment or making HUGE messes by flooding the bathroom, etc.

I hope that an Autism service dog will afford Heather a sense of safety/security at school and other public places and also lower her anxiety levels. At school, Heather can seek appropriate affection and attention from her service dog rather than seeking the attention from the teacher distracting her from being able to properly attend to the needs of the entire class. A service dog could calm Heather in class allowing her to focus on what is being taught vs. withdrawing from the class and teachers.

In public places a dog could help keep Heather close to my side and again help reduce her anxiety, limiting the number of meltdowns she experiences. Also should Heather be over stimulated or frightened by sudden loud noises, the service dog could be an immediate source of comfort or provide a distraction to her surroundings.

A service dog could also be the constant playmate/companion Heather needs to help stimulate and teach self-play. Another huge gift that a service dog could offer is the ability to track Heather should she wander away from home despite our greatest efforts to keep her safe.

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Heather would be beneficial to Heather and to us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Heather. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission, and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Heather's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Heather Donahue
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Nine-year-old with Asperger's & Social Anxiety needs service dog

By Melinda Khan

We discovered things were different with our daughter, Sarah extremely early. As an infant her motor skills were behind, and yet at six months of age she started to talk. Her first words were "I'm cold," and I couldn't find where the sound was coming from. Sarah said it again, "I'm cold," and I looked into her stroller in disbelief. I took her upstairs where I immediately called my mother and told her that Sarah was talking. When I took her to the pediatrician, Sarah identified different pictures of things and the doctor was shocked at what she was able to do at that age.

When Sarah Ellen Khan was about three, I noticed she had an attachment to maps and jumping up and down and bouncing and sitting up. My older sister had Asperger's syndrome, and I started to see some similar behaviors and yet some were uniquely Sarah. The lack of eye contact was familiar as was the repeating of sentences and the interest in singular subjects to the exclusion of others. I finally put aside my fear and took her to a psychologist and a neurologist.

The journey began on a small scale, and then I discovered a foundation that guided me in the direction of more detailed, specific treatment. And more specialists. Finally specialists were in agreement of her diagnosis and treatment. Sarah has Asperger's and Social Anxiety. Yet unlike some people with the same diagnosis, Sarah does have empathy.

She likes Science, Spelling and Math. Ballet is her favorite active thing to do and she performs in public well. But the difficulty comes when she is asked to speak. She tends to look down and avoids eye contact with much of the public. Sarah goes to a social skill group to learn how to interact, make friends: all the things that come natural to most people but not to Sarah.

Sarah can be selectively mute in terms regarding who she will talk with and who she won't. Also she cannot answer questions right away unless she is positive about the answer. Open ended questions are extremely difficult for Sarah to answer. Sometimes there is not a logic to the way she answers. Sometimes she will answer the harder questions and the easy ones she will not answer at all.

While Sarah is great in Spelling and Science, we don't know for sure about the others, because she is not a fully expressed individual. Sarah gets bored easily and always wants to do something different after a short while. One subject she doesn't get bored with is dogs. She has a book of many of the breeds and she has it pretty much memorized the book. You could fall asleep before she has finished talking about dogs and puppies. Her goal now is to become a Veterinarian.

One of her many challenges is lack of organization. Things get messy quickly because she turns to other things before she finishes what she's doing. Social anxiety is an extreme fear of other people.She sometimes has a physical response where she freezes completely. She has two main friends in school and rarely has play dates.

Sarah sometimes has difficulty playing with children she is unfamiliar with and sometimes the parents do discriminate because of her extreme shyness. They start noticing that she is different. The two best friends in school remain school buddies but don't have play dates. In the long run, she does get discouraged and sad. Yet Sarah is a happy girl for the most part and very affectionate with her collection of furry dog dolls.

Her elementary school gives her OT and PT. Sarah get speech therapy to open her up more. And she has private counseling in school when needed. I have been told she does cry in class and she says it is because she misses her mom, which may be true. But it is also so hard for Sarah to express herself that she may not be getting what she needs emotionally at school from the kids because she cannot communicate well.

In general, Sarah is a happy child when she is comfortable. She likes structure and rules, and boundaries. She also enjoys a system of reward for doing things well and she needs praise consistently. Which is not hard to do because she tries so hard. If she doesn't get something right, she keeps on working. I am enormously proud of her courage, her sensitivity, and her insight will knock you off your feet at times.

Because Sarah has little eye contact, she cannot recognize many human emotions on people's faces. She just knows happy and sad. She tends also to be naive and innocent and will not recognize if someone is making fun of her right away.

This is the time to mention the problems with bully behavior from Sarah's peers. She also has been pushed to the ground. She's about 49 inches tall and weighs 50 lbs. Her weight has always been on the low end, in part because she gets bored with food and yet is very particular. Lately she has shown more interest but still is a little underweight.

Sarah has difficulty speaking. She cannot say hello, goodbye or thank you with any regularity. Sometimes in transition, she can get active with a child after about 10 minutes or so when she gets used to the situation. Hopefully, she'll connect with the person or she will parallel play and not really be involved with a particular peer.

Sarah loves dogs. She also loves dresses and girly things like nail polish and makeup. Barbie dolls and dress up. Sarah can spell much higher than her grade level and recognizes that is something she is good at and likes this. Her personality is bubbly, cheerful, always positive and she never really dwells on what is going wrong.

She cannot clean her room but she can clean the family room in a quick amount of time. Folding clothes is a challenge, and organization in general. Like putting clothes away. Sometimes she has a hard time going to sleep on her own. She loves my stories that I make up on the spot and this works very well.

Sometimes it is hard for me to recognize all her challenges because I am so close to her and she is so lovable to me. A doctor and a nurse recently described Sarah as "delicious." She has so much charisma. Sarah had a sense of humor even as a three-month-old…how she wiggled so I could get her diapers on while constantly laughing with her gums showing. Sarah said to me some months ago, "Mom you are so creative and you do so much for me. I don't see you do these things for yourself. What about your writing, Mom?"

We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Sarah would be beneficial to Sarah and to us. 4 Paws partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Sarah. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.

If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Sarah's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Sarah Kahn
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Girl with Autism, Sensory Issues & Emotional/Social Delays, needs Autism Service Dog

By Kathleen Gerlach

My name is Kathleen Gerlach, and I am married to an incredible man named Jeremy. We have three children: Ally 5, Andy 3, and Alex 2. I knew something was off even when I was pregnant with Ally. I threw up constantly, and I just felt "off."

Ally was born two weeks early by induction, and the only problem she had was maintaining her body temperature. We went home the next day with our perfect little girl. When Ally was six months old, she had met all of her developmental milestones. She was sitting up rolling over, and doing all the right things. But, she always had to be held, and always wanted to be with mom and dad.

I started taking her to a playgroup. This lasted three months until we were asked to leave and not come back. Ally's "meltdowns" were upsetting the other children. She was then nine months old. At 10 months of age, Ally got what appeared to be the "flu." They had IVs put in her arms to rehydrate her, and she recovered, but a few days later the "flu" was back. Ally was then diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and dairy allergies.

She ate absolutely nothing voluntarily for five months. I fed her and sprayed water in her mouth. She never lost enough weight to need a feeding tube, but her meltdowns continued to escalate. Everyone told me nothing was wrong with my daughter, but I knew something wasn't right. It was Mommy's intuition. She would kick, scream, cry, and thrash. There were times she would hit or bite herself.

Right after Allyson turned two, we started her in a mainstream preschool class. This lasted two months, and we were asked to have her evaluated. She was diagnosed at 2.5 years with Sensory Integration Disorder, and Communication Disorder with "Autistic-like Tendencies." We started Occupational Therapy, without much avail. We are still doing OT today, and there has been some improvement.

Since Ally would get overwhelmed everywhere we went, we slowed down where we took her. I took Ally to a neurologist at four years of age, and she thought Ally had Autism and ADHD. The day after Ally turned five, she was officially diagnosed with Autism, as well as Sensory Issues, with emotional and social delays. These are the primary issues Ally deals with today.

Ally is a sweet, intelligent, loving child, and even though she appears normal, she is not. She has emotional meltdowns, and is unable to talk when she is upset, she can't explain herself and she parrots what she is saying. She is easily overwhelmed, even at school. She is in Kindergarten, but goes to a private school where she is one of four children in her class.

She has trouble making and keeping friends even though she tries very hard. She does not understand personal space, and she is not able to read social gestures and cues. We are getting ready to start her in Applied Behavioral Analysis to help her to gain some of the everyday skills she is lacking, like getting dressed alone, and being able to play nicely with her brothers.

Ally loves to play dress up, be outside jumping in her trampoline, watch movies, and be with her family. Most of all, Ally loves to hang out with mom one on one. We were encouraged when we heard about 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for people with all kinds of disabilities. We are partnering with 4 Paws as volunteers to raise the $13,000 necessary to get Ally's Autism Service Dog. All donations are tax deductible.

Her dog will give her the independence to be able to play by herself and sleep in her own room. Her dog will be trained in tracking so if she runs away (which she does when she is very upset), we will be able to find her. The dog will be trained in behavior disruption to help with her meltdowns, and help her with her social issues. Most of all, the dog will be her constant companion to be with her all the time. Ally's SD will let her have the confidence to be who she is, and to help her to grow to her full potential.

Ally's dad is a firefighter in the Bay Area here in California. And over Thanksgiving 2010 we were headed to Los Angeles. We came across a horrific accident. Two people had died, and Jeremy saved three others in critical condition. Long story short, for his heroic efforts he is being nominated as Firefighter of The Year.

There are two ways you can choose to make your donation. You can make an online donation, or mail a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Allyson Gerlach
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you from the Gerlach family.

High-risk Chad needs a calming Autism Service Dog

By Chad Burke's grandmother, Evelyn

Little three-and-a-half-year-old Chad has been on High Risk since birth, due to the fact that one parent is schizophrenic (plus autistic) and the other is developmentally disabled. Emotionally and mentally Chad is more on the level of a two-and-a-half-year-old vs a three-and-a-half-year-old. He has a 18 months to a year's delay in some areas. He has limited speech which causes him extreme frustration.

Chad cannot deal with too much confusion or change (such as the excitement of going on a trip, Christmas excitement, etc.). He can be very rigid in routines, and when his routine is disrupted he tends to have a major meltdown. (Meltdowns: He slaps himself, bangs his head on any surface, throws himself around while crying uncontrollably, and is not aware of his surroundings and what he is doing.)

Chad started showing lots of obsessive behavior this past year. For example, he was extremely obsessive over finding the right shirt to wear. He would totally melt down and cry for an hour at a time because he could not figure out what shirt he would wear. He just started talking to where we could understand some words this past August when he started Pre K. Now we can understand some of his words. Of course, this causes a lot of frustration for him when he cannot communicate his needs to us.

• He is rigid about change.
• He does not sense or understand danger.
• His speech is very delayed.
• He is apt to place his hand on a hot stove burner.
• He will eat or drink anything. He will drink anything in a container.
• He is very active and into everything.
• He puts everything in his mouth.
• He is not able to sleep by himself.
• He wanders when he's outside
• His grandfather and I are in our late 50's and it is hard to watch and keep up with him all the time. He cannot be unattended for any length of time.

Chad is very affectionate and loving. Most of the time (when he is not having his challenges), he is very happy and active. He loves cars and trucks, fishing, and tools. He likes to follow his grandfather around with tools and fix things. He loves to go outdoors, and he loves and relates well with animals (he has dogs and a cat).

We learned about 4 Paws for Ability, and after studying everything they offered, we are convinced that Chad's life would be different if he had an autism service dog. It would be nice if it was a larger dog like a retriever or lab. A dog to grow up with him. He responds well to animals. A service dog would be a companion and a helpmate to Chad. The dog could help calm him down when he is having a melt down.

We worry about Chad getting out of the yard. A dog could help us track him and find him if he disappears. Chad is so active and fast. When we are out and about we could tether Chad to the dog to help us keep track of him. And we would like to get Chad to learn how to sleep in his own room. A dog could sleep with him and let us know when he gets up in the night.

Right now we are committed to volunteering for 4 Paws for Ability in an effort to raise $13,000 for his trained autism service dog. This agency is a nonprofit, and all donations are tax deductible. You can either donate online, mentioning Chad Burke's name, or by sending a check to 4 Paws.

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio, 45385

Thank you for helping make this little boy's life better.

Behavioral Issues make a service dog a "must" for Jake Poor

By Leanne Poor

When Jacob "Jake" Dylan Poor was between two and three, Jake started by having what was originally thought to be night terrors. He'd wake up screaming, unable to be comforted, and usually resulted in what I can only describe as pretty violent temper tantrums. The nights that these would occur, even at a very young age, my husband and I both would have to be up to calm him down, to keep him from hurting himself or either of us.

Then the outbursts started happening during the day, when we were at home. We moved into attempting to test for low blood sugar, because it seemed that if he ate, his temper tantrums would be less. This wasn't exactly it either. His violent temper tantrums continued. We saw a neurologist when we finally realized that he generally is not aware of the temper tantrums that occur.

This past November, Jake (now age seven) was diagnosed with a form of childhood epilepsy, called Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, mostly occurring in his sleep. Behavior issues can be related to this form of epilepsy. We are also working with the OSU Autism clinic. While we have been put on their wait list, they are anticipating seeing Jake within 3-4 months. Others who have observed Jake can see sensory tendencies, obsessive compulsive tendencies, and as well as being resistant to change and terrified of social situations.

Jake is extremely bright, generally loving and caring, sees the best in everyone. He generally makes friends with those who don't have friends, and cares that each person is included. He's resistant to change, and generally becomes "attached" or "concerned" with one thing or person at a time.

An affectionate child, Jake loves to be held and cuddled. He enjoys being successful at whatever he tries, although he gives up easily because of his inability to become a new member of a group. He's also a very determined individual (as noted in the bike riding in the snow picture).

Jake's interests include singing, video games, Tiger Cub Scouts, drawing, and spending time at home.

He has a number of challenges. Because he doesn't like crowds, or feeling left out, he doesn't absorb into activities easily. Therefore, we have many activities that we begin, yet can't seem to finish because he attaches to one person in the activity who may already be "established" or have other friends.

Jake does not like unstructured or "chaotic" activities where things are not planned, and there is little control by the person leading the activity. There must be structure and consistent routines for him to succeed in an activity. If there is excessive noise, then Jake is likely to ask to leave. If there is an established group, Jake becomes self-conscious and is likely to leave.

Another concern is that Jake's seizures occur mainly at night. He is terrified to sleep alone, although his seizures are not life threatening, they make him uncomfortable enough to require someone to sleep in his room.

A service dog will be a companion for Jake to confide in, be bonded to, and be an easy transition into established group activities. The dog will enable Jake to make an introduction of his "new 4- pawed friend." The animal will allow him to finally sleep alone, and be there when he has meltdowns that result in unacceptable behavior.

We believe that a seizure dog would be a wonderful companion to our son. We're volunteering to partner with 4 Paws in raising $13,000 for this miracle dog. We need your help. All money is tax deductible and goes to 4 Paws for Ability in Jake's name.

If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability website, or mail a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Jake Poor
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you from the Poor family.

I want to be free . . . to be me!

Hi, I'm Joey Hruby and as you CAN'T tell I have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the "Invisible disorder." So let me tell you what you can't see. I'm 9 years old and in 3rd grade. I go to a special school over an hour from my home, because most schools and teachers where I live don't understand me and my disability.

Academically I'm behind, I have a hard time keeping friends, I get easily confused, over stimulated and frustrated and at times can get very angry and violent, I don't mean too, it just happens, and I don't like it. I'm really like any other boy, I love Legos, computers, music, animals, outdoors, biking and snow tubing.

I need an "external brain" to help me get through my day. My external brain is usually my mom or dad, a teacher, paraprofessional, or my personal care attendant. They have the job of continually supervising me and making sure that I am safe and that I know what is expected and help me through a skill or task without getting mad. Even with their help I still get frustrated and over stimulated, I throw things, tip over chairs, slam doors, scream, swear and sometimes hit and kick people that are in my way.

Loud noises, especially fire alarms, sirens make me very anxious they really "hurt my ears." I also have a difficult time focusing in crowded places like malls, restaurants, and church because of the noise. I would much rather snuggle with someone, and be somewhere quiet and not so crowded.

I've seen many different doctors and therapists about my behaviors, some have helpful ideas, others just want to put me on medication. My mom and dad say there is no research to prove that medication could or would help me, so I am medication free. Yeah! Then my mom read the book "My Invisible World" by Morasha R. Winokur and said "That's it, Joey needs a service dog, that will be his medicine." So from the book we did some research into 4 Paws for Ability and found our answer.

An FASD Service Dog will allow me to remain medication free, give me some independence by being my "external brain" sometimes, and a dog could comfort me, calm me, keep me safe and play with me.

WE NEED YOUR HELP - 4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit 501(c)(3) located in Ohio. Me and my family are partnering with 4 Paws for Ability to raise the $22,000 to raise and train my dog to meet my needs. You can find out more about FASD services dogs and help by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Joey Hruby at:

4 Paws for Ability - Donation Page or by mailing a check to:
4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Joey Hruby
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Thank you for helping me be free . . . to be me!

Flood devastates family of boy seeking autism service dog

By Sandy Hart

I noticed Randell was different from other children his age when he was a little over two, but I thought it was my fault because I hadn't made him play with other children enough. He is now a very large 11-year-old. Once he reached puberty, because of a quick temper with caregivers, his size, and because some adult find him intimidating, I had to leave my job to take care of him. Daycare is no longer an option.

By age three, his pediatrician told me he suspected autism, but wasn't qualified to make the determination. So we started with specialists. Four specialists later, and a move to another state, he finally got a diagnosis of PDD-NOS at age seven. The previous doctors had told me that we may never know what he has, and we would just treat the symptoms. He had (and still has) symptoms of ADHD, OCD, ODD, and Autism. His form of autism closely resembles Asperger's, except for the fact that he spoke late instead of early.

He started school at age three. In first grade, Randell's teacher quickly gave up on him. He had speech, OT and a teacher who helped tutor him. But he was too much of a distraction for his teacher to be able to teach class.

At this time, they didn't have any diagnosis for him. This stood in the way of real help, because the school couldn't ask for funding for a child that may or may not have a documented disability. And none of the school staff believed it was autism, because by this time he could speak and look at you when prompted.

I couldn't understand how he could start school a year before he was pre-K age and by second grade he was three years behind. Most of his teachers thought it was behavior related. They labeled him developmentally delayed. I didn't realize I had more power over his IEP than I thought. It took me years to find out that I don't have to agree with everything they said, and in some cases, I knew better than they did. But the move to Texas helped with that as well. Randell has been in a great school, and has improved so much. In most classes, he is on grade level work. He has had some great teachers and some great doctors. And I couldn't be more thankful.

He can be extremely vocal when he doesn't want to do something, or when he thinks something you are doing isn't the way it is supposed to be done. He doesn't make friends. He tries very hard, but he is not accepted by other children. He is tolerated in some cases, but not accepted, so he spends a lot of time alone, even when we are around a lot of children.

Having high functioning autism is harder on the children than most people realize, because they are aware that they do not fit in. It hurts their self-esteem, and sometimes makes them want to withdraw to avoid embarrassing situations. However, they can show love. It is a blessing many parents of autistic children never get. Randell has always been a very loving, affectionate child. He doesn't hold a grudge. Even if he is mad at you one day, every day is a new day.

Randell may never be able to drive a car, even though they are his fascination. He has been adamant since he started talking that he wants to be a mechanic when he grows up. Later I decided to watch and try to understand why he broke everything he was supposed to play with. And while I watched him make wings on his cars, take engines out of remote control cars and make working model windmills, etc., it finally hit me. The new toys weren't the toys he wanted to play with at all: they were used as parts to fabricate the toys he wanted to play with. So now we make trips to the hobby store to buy parts instead. I've always said and believed that he was not put here for us to teach: God sent him here to teach us.

Randell has a younger brother named John, who is mostly Randell's only friend. But John is getting to the age were he notices more and more that something is different with his brother. It's hard on them both. John is doing things Randell can't do now, like skateboarding. And John catches onto things much faster like video games and such. It's very frustrating for Randell, and doesn't help his self esteem any.

In early September a flood hit our area and destroyed every home on our street. It was part of Tropical Storm Hermine. We were home when the levy broke, and both of my children and I, plus several of my neighbors and their children, spent almost four hours on a roof waiting to be rescued by boat. I was very proud of both of my boys. They didn't argue when I had to make them get on a roof to wait for rescuers. Randell has always been terrified of heights, possibly due to poor gross motor skills, but he did it.

Overall, the flood was a devastating thing for us all. We lost pretty much everything. And Randell still hasn't quite gotten over the changes that the flood caused. We are staying with my grandmother right now until we can get moved into another place. Randell missed several days of school and wouldn't come out of his shirt much the first day. Now everything is new to him except school. Since the flood, Randell has been very frustrated, and has started sleepwalking frequently again, and his grades have dropped. But he can hold a conversation and look you in the eye and can stay away from danger most of the time.

I expect it to be a long process. It may take him years to get over being scared of heavy rain. And eventually we have to move to a new and much bigger neighborhood. In the little neighborhood we were in, it was very safe. Everyone knew everyone and their children. I didn't have to worry much about him playing outside. There was hardly any traffic and people looked out for each other. This is going to be a big change for us all, especially Randell. Luckily, he won't have to change schools this year. He really likes Eastern Hills, and so far he is doing well in his first year of middle school. I wouldn't want that to change for him too.

Randell needs a service dog for many reasons. He doesn't think before going out onto the street. I need an alert for his sleepwalking. And to help keep him from running off in crowds. Help in calming him down when he is frustrated. And most important, he needs a companion that loves him just as he is. One that doesn't get tired of him, and doesn't care if he can't do something. And stays with him to reassure and comfort him all the time, all while looking out for his safety.

We are thrilled to hear about an organization called 4 Paws For Ability. 4 Paws is a nonprofit organization that helps families with special needs acquire service dogs. And Randell has been approved for the placement of an autism service dog! As a single mother with two children, one with autism and one with ADHD, I keep pretty busy. A service dog would be a great asset to our home life and family, and will definitely make a significant difference in Randell's life.

As a part of the application process, I will be a volunteer for 4 Paws to raise at least $13,000 toward the training of Randell's service dog. All donations are tax deductible and go to 4 Paws for Ability in Randell's name. If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability donation page or mail a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Randell Hart
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Bright, Amazing Tot Needs Mobility Service Dog

By Christian's mother, Kristina. Christian Westby isn't even three years old as of September 2010, but it's been determined that because of Cerebral Palsy (from birth trauma), he would be able to function much better with a Mobility Service Dog from 4 Paws for Ability. He was not diagnosed until he was eight months old, and his biggest challenges are mainly walking and talking.

Christian is the happiest kid you could ever meet. He is very social, loves everybody. But most of all he loves GOD! He also likes Elmo a lot! He has what he calls his praise GOD guitar. And he loves dogs. He uses a walker to get around. He is walking on his own but his endurance does not keep up with his motivation. He speaks and uses some signing to communicate. He is very bright. His doctor believe he understands at the level of a six-year-old. He is just a joy, absolutely spectacular!

If he had the dog he would not have to use his walker, which means much more independence as he grows older. He could go out and play (with supervision) and the dog would let us know if he falls. His pain receptors are not functioning right, so he does not feel as much pain as typical people, so he doesn't always cry out if he falls. Even in the house he falls often if you're not right there with him you may not know. The dog would tell us.

When he starts school he will be the kid with the cool dog! Not the kid with CP. He could do stairs, walk in the grass! With a dog I think the possibilities are endless. Well they are for him in our eyes no matter what, but the dog would sure make things a whole LOT of difference in our lives!

As Christian's family, we are volunteering for 4 Paws for Ability to raise $13,000 for his service dog. Donations are to be made directly to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385 in honor of Christian Westby.

Autism Service Dog Will Keep Aidan Safe and Calm

Since I don't talk much I asked my mommy to write this to you in hope that you are willing to help us achieve our fundraising goal for 4 Paws for Ability. Any donations will be appreciated big or small.

We desperately need this dog to help with everyday life. Please send all donations to 4 Paws for Ability. Please include Aidan's name on the check so he receives proper credit.

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

If you have any questions or suggestions to offer please call me @ 973-810-3647. Thank you from Christina, Aidan Kakoullis & Family

High-functioning Verbal Child Needs Autism Service Dog!

By Jamie Liebzeit. My child Kameron, will be nine this October 2010! He's beautiful, funny, caring, compassionate, smart, loving, loves pets, is full of energy and happens to be on the autism spectrum called PDD/NOS. Unfortunately, Kameron also has a number of other issues like ADHD, ODD, Learning Disabilities, Anxiety, Asthma, and is Emotionally Impaired. This all also makes him feel anxious, irritable, worried, scared, annoyed, over-sensitive, hesitant, angry and alone. He is also very sensitive to loud noise.

I am very fortunate that my son is high functioning and verbal, although he does have great difficulty expressing his emotions verbally. He shows much affection and empathy, traits usually not associated with autism. Kameron has a hard time making friends, going to school, going to appointments, and he has at least 3 - 5 doctor appointments a month. Kameron is afraid of the dark and has great difficulty going to sleep. He doesn't want to close his eyes. He is also very scared of bugs - any kind of bugs. This makes it hard for him to go outside without one of his brothers. Kameron is like all other boys in so far as he loves to draw, paint, watch movies, swim, and sometimes even go to the park. He loves to talk and asks a lot of questions.

Kameron has two brothers; Austin 10 years old and Prestin 6 years old. Austin also has ADHD and tries to help Kameron out as much as he can. Since Kameron refuses to be in any room alone, Austin often goes to bed with him, takes him to the bathroom, and helps him to calm down when he's anxious. Austin said, "I just need a break, I need to play with my friends. I sure hope he gets a service dog!" Prestin also has ADHD. He just loves to play, and is a bundle of energy. I really need to spend more time with Prestin, but Kameron requires a great deal of my time. I am a single mom that can't be in three places at once. I think this service dog would be great. I would be able to spend quality time with all three of my children.

Kameron loves all animals, especially dogs. It doesn't seem to matter what the size or breed is. When we're in public, at a friend's house, or at a family gathering, Kameron always can be found playing with the family pet(s). While other children are running around the yard or through the house in a burst of energy, Kameron can be found in a corner with the family pet. His behavior is wonderful when he is in the company of a dog. The more responsive the dog is with him, the happier and calmer he seems. And the loud barking noise? His grandma's dogs (Havanese) always bark loudly when Kameron comes to visit. He no longer covers his ears, but gets down to play with them right away. He has finally associated the "loud barking" with, "I'm so glad you're here! I want to play!"

We hope that by providing Kameron an "autism dog" we will all be able to alleviate some of the stress in our lives. The dog would be able to fulfill many of Kameron's emotional needs, by being a constant companion for him. I'm sure his brother's will also appreciate not being followed around all the time! The service dog would accompany Kameron around the house and in his school, allowing him to be less fearful going from room to room. Hopefully, Kameron will finally be able to stay in his own bed the entire night since he will have his "companion" with him. Kameron would never feel alone, or afraid to wake up in an empty room.

The service dog would be trained for behavior disruption - preventing melt-downs before they occur. Anyone who has a child with frequent melt-downs knows how wonderful this would be! Lots of the anxiety that Kameron has that leads to melt-downs is associated with simple daily tasks that most children his age find effortless.

Kameron has "shut down" doing simple things such as; getting dressed, using the bathroom, brushing his teeth, getting ready for the bus, putting a shoe on, eating a meal, taking his daily medications, having his nails or hair cut, wearing a back pack, putting his coat on, transitioning from the house to the car. Having a service dog there to help him cope with his fear, anxiety and frustration could greatly reduce the number of shut-downs Kameron has.

We would like to do whatever we can to help Kameron feel better about himself and enhance his ability to cope in a world he finds extremely stressful. By the way, we all love Kameron just the way he is! His autism is simply a part of him and makes him who he is. We wouldn't change this loving, caring child for the world!

PLEASE VISIT KAMERON'S WEBSITE AT: 4paws4kameron.weebly.com

Sincerely,

Jamie Liebzeit & Family (Austin & Prestin - The best brothers in the world!)

Training service dogs is costly. It costs 4 Paws an average of $22,000 per dog placed. At 4 Paws they partner with the child's family who become volunteer fund raisers for 4 Paws and make a commitment to raise a minimum of $13,000 for the agency in order to qualify for a dog. Dogs are trained to specifically address the needs of each child.

If you would like to help by making a personal donation, please send your tax-deductible donation to:

4 Paws For Ability, 235 Dayton Ave., Xenia OH 45385

Please write: "In honor of Kameron Liebzeit" in the memo portion of your check...or you may donate online at: 4 Paws for Ability.

Let's help Geneva get a Multi-Purpose Service Dog

My name is Laurie, and I am a mother of an eight-year-old girl, Geneva Powell.

She was diagnosed at age four with ADHD and mood disorder. More recently, she was diagnosed with anxiety and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). She also has sensory issues. And meltdowns interfere with daily life.

She is a very friendly and active girl. Loves the outdoors, camping, riding her bike, and swimming. But socially she is behind her peers. Sometimes daily life is a struggle for her. Meltdowns interfere with daily activities.

We will be receiving a multipurpose service dog for Geneva to help redirect her and help with the meltdowns. We hope that this will also help her socially.

I am volunteering my efforts for 4 Paws for Ability to raise money, so other disabled children can benefit from 4 Paws. Donations are to be made directly to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385 in honor of Geneva Powell.

Thank you,
Laurina Short (Powell) Mother of Geneva

Help Angel Solis Cope

Hi. My name is Angel Solis. I'm six years old. I love playing soccer and gymnastics, and I enjoy drawing and doing puzzles.

I have two sisters but we are very different. It's very hard for me to deal with places where there are a lot of people. Even going out to a restaurant or any public place is a challenge for me. It's hard for me to understand danger, in fact, once I managed to open a window in my house that had access to the roof, and I stayed there for a little bit of time until my neighbor told my parents I was there.

I have hard time at school because I been diagnosed with Hyperactivity Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Learning Disorder, Sensory Hypersensitivity, ADHD and Aspergers, and it's hard for me to communicate and express my feelings. When I can't do this I get very frustrated, and I cry and scream a lot.

It's very hard for me to go to sleep at night. I just have lots of energy even if it's after midnight. When I am anxious I bite my clothes and even my house furniture.

My family and I feel very lucky that we found 4 Paws for Ability and they approved our application for a Autism Service Dog but we must meet our fundraising goal of $13,000. My family has signed on as volunteers for 4 Paws for Ability, (a 501 (c)(3) to raise money and have a Autism Service Dog to help me to cope with the daily activities that I can't cope with now.

You can help me and my family make this dream come true by making a tax-deductible donation (by mail or the website) in the name of Angel Solis to: 4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Avenue
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Very Rare Chromosomal Disorder Hinders the Life Of a Nine-year-old Girl

Nine-year-old Girl Suffers From 9 P Minus Syndrome (1 in 200 world-wide) - Life-Threatening Seizures Happen All the Time~~Seizure Service Dog Will Help Her Live A More Enriched Life

My name is Mimi Reyes, I am nine years old I was born with a very rare chromosomal disorder called 9 p minus syndrome, which means that the short arm of my ninth chromosome was deleted when I was conceived. It's how God made me special. With this comes some issues that I face that other children don't face. I have seizures all day every day.

I have what's called absent seizures, where I stare off for 30 seconds to two minutes sometimes, and I also have Grand Mal seizures. My grand mal seizures are very dangerous because I stop breathing and my entire body constricts. My mom has special medication for me that relaxes my muscles enough until an ambulance can get to me.

I also have what's called sensory integration disorder what that means is that my nervous system cannot handle all of the sensory stimulation that is in the world all at once. So right now as you're reading this, the a/c might be on, people around you might be talking, a motorcycle might go by and make a roarrrrrr and your brain tells your body, "Hey it's okay..." My brain cannot sort the senses coming in fast enough for me to understand it. Through behavior therapy I am learning how to deal with this part of myself, but believe me it's very tough...

I am nine but intellectually I am about five. I get lost easy because if my mom looks in her purse, or ties my sister's shoe, I am off looking at something, touching something, or making a new friend: these things are not safe and this brings me to the reason of why I NEED 4 PAWS FOR ABILITY. They provide service dogs trained for kids just like me.

• This dog will be able to detect my seizures very shortly before one happens (read about it under the seizure dog link) and will alert my mother to help me.
• This dog will help me to remember that even though a scary motorcycle goes by or the a/c turns on and I get cold that I am still safe and in control.
• This dog will keep me safe so as my mother goes in to her purse or ties my sister's shoe I can hold onto my dog and if and when I try to make a new friend or touch something I shouldn't the dog will be trained to nudge me back to my mom or bark to alert my mom.
• This dog most of all will be MY friend, no one else's. It will sleep with me and be there for me when I'm at my worst/scariest...just like my mom is now.

The service dog will cost 4 Paws for Ability $22,000 to train and place. This program has a very unique approach to the placement process and allows the family to raise $15,000 for the agency so the agency does not have to place their kids on a waiting list.

If you would like to help me by donating or hosting a benefit to help raise funds, please contact my mom at (512) 902-8536 or Supermom2397@yahoo.com or at http://www.helpmimi.com.

I need to hold fundraisers and be able to reach the community for help and support. My mom has spoken with lots of mothers who have gone through this process, and by using the media have been able to reach their goal. I need the media to help me reach my goal. Please help us. Here's our contact information:

Contact: Shannen Reyes

Location: Austin, TX

Phone Number: 512-902-8536

Email: Supermom2397@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.HelpMimi.com

Tiny angel needs service dog for seizure support and balance

I am acting as a volunteer for 4 Paws in an effort to raise funds for her. All donations are tax deductible and go to 4 Paws for Ability in Korigan's name. If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability website and click on "donate," or mail a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
The Korigan Gibbons Fund
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385
Thanks so much ... Stacy and Korigan

Kathryn needs autism service dog to protect, calm, and love her

Kathryn Ross-Schmid is one of the 1:150 children in the United States diagnosed with autism. She was diagnosed right before she turned three years old. To the outside world, Kathryn looks like any other five-year-old child, loving and energetic with an infectious smile and gentle spirit. However, spend a few minutes with her and you will see that there are distinct differences. Kathryn is trapped in her own little bubble that few people are allowed in or would understand even if they were allowed in.

A smart child who knows all her ABC's, she can count to 20 and even recognize a few words by sight rather than picture. However, Kathryn is mostly non-verbal. With the help of her special school, she's getting better using words. They aren't always used appropriately and she spends most of her time repeating songs or stories in a manner that is not recognizable. She understands words, but when they are repeated back they seem to be jumbled.

Kathryn is learning to defeat locks and baby gates. Once she got through the front door locks and was found across the street in the park in the two minutes it took her mother to go to the restroom. She has learned to build steps over the baby gates to get past them, building them the same on both sides so she can just climb up and over without falling on the other side.

Fear and any concept of danger are unknown to her. She doesn't come home on her own, or respond when her name is called, yet she's is very curious and independent with an adventurous spirit.

Kathryn is very sensitive to noises and has meltdowns if there is too much stimulation. She is more sensitive to pitch rather than volume. She loves music and is usually calmed by it. Crowds do not seem to bother her since she rarely notices other people unless they get into her "space."

Dogs, cats, and fish are very important to her. Socially, she's in her own world and is usually left alone by her peers, since she doesn't acknowledge them if they try to initiate play. They don't understand that she isn't being rude.

Stability, structure and routine are a luxury that Kathryn and her family do not have. Currently her dad is serving in the US Army in Iraq. Being a military family has its own challenges but throw in the inability to understand the constant changes and you have a child whose world is very chaotic. An autism service dog will help the family provide her with a valuable constant stabilizer in her ever changing world.

Having an autism service dog will help Kathryn be able to allow someone into her "bubble" that understands her world and doesn't judge her or force their world on her. She needs a dog that will just love her and be her best friend. She will be able to explore the outside world with her friend at her side to keep her safe without having to be glued to her parents for safety. If she gets too adventurous, the family will have that extra nose to sniff her out and help them find her.

Finally the family will be able to do things as a family without one always being left behind with Kathryn. They love her to pieces, but the phrase they most often use to describe family outings with her is like "trying to herd cats." "4 Paws won my heart with everything they do and with the amount of integrity they do it with," says Kathryn's mother, Regina. "I am just in the beginning stages of this journey with 4 Paws for Ability, and have only had contact with a couple of people, but they are amazing." It will be necessary for the family to raise funds to train this special service dog. Anyone wanting to support Kathryn can make a tax-free donation to 4 Paws for Ability. Please be sure to include "In Honor of Kathryn Ross-Schmid" with your donation so that the family receives credit toward their fundraising efforts.

Jaden Cornelius needs Seizure Alert Service Dog

Jaden Cornelius is a bright, energetic, and friendly child who attends kindergarten, loves science fiction, and has a very high vocabulary. His mother, Beth, a rehabilitation counselor, is raising him within a supportive network of family and friends. When Jaden was three, he began having seizures. He was diagnosed with a form of Epilepsy, and is being treated at the Cleveland Clinic.

Most of his seizures happen when he is asleep. One side of his body will start to shake, his eyes will open, and there is a risk that he may stop breathing. This means that he cannot sleep alone, which will increasingly hinder his independence as he ages. It will also limit his participation in sleepovers, campouts, and similar social activities with peers. A seizure alert dog could not only allow Jaden to sleep safely in his own bed, without an adult, but could also accompany him on campouts and sleepovers. This would mean not only increased independence and the confidence that comes with it, but the ability to have fun with friends and not be left out!

While there are some activities that will still require adult supervision, with a seizure alert dog on the job, the adult can be a little farther away, yet still available in case of emergency. This will allow Jaden the ability to play with friends without the necessity of an adult always staying immediately by his side. He will be able to have enough space to share secrets and negotiate relationships without an adult constantly hovering over him in a way that affects his interactions with other kids his own age and the development of healthy peer relationships.

While Jaden continues to be the same loving, social child he has always been, the adults who know him best have seen a real change in his moods and his ability to control his temper since his diagnosis. This is because a side effect of his anti-seizure medication increases his aggression and makes him more easily frustrated. Jaden is being taught that although it is more difficult for him now, he is still in control of his own temper and responsible for his own actions.

However, a seizure alert dog could assist in this process, by helping him to recognize his own moods and calm himself down. Also, a seizure alert dog can be a good ice-breaker with other children, perhaps smoothing some relationships when Jaden's frustration leads to inappropriate behavior or quarrelsomeness.

Jaden is a child with so much potential and a seizure alert dog can help us make sure that he has everything he needs to grow into a well-adjusted, happy, and successful adult.

Your tax deductible donation can be made directly to Jaden Cornelius's fund through 4 Paws for Ability, an Ohio-based non-profit organization that trains service dogs for people with disabilities. Please indicate that your donation is specifically for Jaden Cornelius on the memo line of your check or on the PayPal note for online donations. Donations can be sent to: 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385. For more information on 4 Paws for Ability, please visit 4 Paws for Ability online.

Thank you ahead of time for considering a donation for Jaden. You have our heartfelt gratitude!

Pituitary Brain Tumor Slams Tiny Tot

Vinnie Rodriguez is just two years old. In those two years, he has been through a lot. Right before he turned one, he got very sick and was hospitalized with seizures. During his hospital stay, he underwent a series of tests. After the tests results came back, the doctors came in and asked us to have a seat.

They explained that Vinnie has a pituitary brain tumor. My family and I were devastated. No words can explain the feelings we had. Since that diagnosis, his seizures have been ongoing and have not yet been controlled by medication. Vinnie's seizures cause him to have speech and learning delays. He has behavioral therapy that work with him three to four times a week to help him in these areas. They also help him with his autistic behavior and unchangeable routines that tend to frustrate him and us.

It's so hard for us as parents to watch him go through so much and not be able to do anything about it. But, that's not quite accurate: we can do something about it. There is an organization called 4 Paws for Ability. They train seizure alert dogs to help children just like Vinnie.

This dog will be a constant companion and will be able to recognize the signs of an oncoming seizure, and comfort Vinnie during and after a seizure. This dog will also be able to accompany him to all his doctor appointments, hospital stays, and stores where there are crowds, etc. This will help our little boy feel at ease in any of the tense situations he's likely to experience.

We need to raise money to pay for the special training of this service dog, and we need your help. Because 4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit agency, your donations in Vinnie's name are tax deductible. Thank you for either giving online sending your donation to:

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Assistance Dog Needed to Help Emily Manage Disabilities

Emily Lowe suffers from multiple disabilities ranging from autism, mental retardation, frontal lobe disorder, to sensory overload. And she often acts out by having temper tantrums and throwing herself to the floor.

She is a sad little girl who has trouble keeping in tune with the world around her. It took us some time to find out that her brain was misfiring every two minutes.

Emily is an active 10-year-old girl who adores animals. However, she does not talk to many people, and will not make eye contact with people. She has generalized anxiety disorder when upset or overwhelmed, she lacks social skills, becomes easily frustrated, has meltdowns, and tries to hurt herself by pulling her hair, slapping herself, biting, and tearing off her clothes.

Unaware of danger, she couldn't tell you whether something is hot or cold. She would not be able to cross a street by herself. And she would never be able to call 911. She seems at time to be living in her own little shell and needs a best friend.

She has a sister who is 13 and is sometime overwhelmed because of Emily's disabilities. That's true of Mom and Dad as well, but we all love and support her. We the family made a communication breakthrough when we truly realized that there is a normal girl inside this special mind who just can't get out in typical ways.

Now we are asking for help in getting Emily a best friend to go everywhere she goes. We hope to turn her frown upside down. There are so many ways a 4 Paws for Ability Assistance Dog will help Emily that it's difficult to know where to begin!

We are fundraising for that special dog. All donations you make are to be designated in honor of Emily Lowe and are to be made to 4 Paws for Ability. And since 4 Paws is a nonprofit agency, your donations are tax free.

Heart defects and Asperger's fail to slow down rambunctious Benjamin!

Written by Benjamin's father. Benjamin Shawa is a special five-year-old who has high functioning autism, or sometimes known as Asperger's. Benjamin has had a rough go in his short life.

Benjamin was born with 3 major heart defects. When he was a week old he had open-heart surgery to correct two of his heart defects. Two years later he had to have another heart surgery to correct the third heart defect.

The next day after coming home from his second heart surgery his little sister came into the world and changed his life again.

Little did we understand or know that Benjamin had Asperger's. After some help from our friends who saw peculiar traits that Benjamin had, we were able to have him tested.

Benjamin is a very active little boy and sometimes just needs some help calming down. This is a hard task since he is our BIG little boy. He weighs about 60 lbs!

Let us explain the picture of the children in the dog crate. Last year we rescued a golden lab named Jack from the shelter in Tupelo, MS. He was an amazing dog and Benjamin and Emily adore him.

Our family needed to move in with some friends temporarily, and we gave Jack to a wonderful family that enjoys him as their own. The kids continuously call dogs Jack and even name their stuffed animals Jack! We are hoping that our 4 Paws dog may be a golden lab and they may be able to call him Jack. We know that may not come to fruition, but we can still pray specifically, right?

A service dog would be a great help for Benjamin in helping with his outbursts of energy and his rambunctious behavior. It is hard for my wife to handle him sometimes, and especially when we are in the public, it is hard to control him.

Benjamin also has what is called Sensory Processing Disorder. This is where his senses are heightened and he has a hard time with loud noises and bright lights. A service dog would also help him deal with these problems.

He also has a little problem of running!! The problem is he likes to run out of the car and into the parking lot when we go to the store. The dog would be great to help him slow down and be more aware of what is going on.

When we heard about 4 Paws we were so excited! We finally could get some help. It was such a relief to know that one day Benjamin would have a special friend to sleep with him and keep him company.

This organization is amazing! If you could help Benjamin get this special friend that could help him, please donate to "4 Paws for Ability"” and write "in honor of Benjamin Shawa" on the check.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, love and support!

Isaac Egan battles anxiety

Written by Melodie Robinson. When my son, Isaac Egan, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (a form of high-functioning autism) and Attention Deficit Disorder a year ago, the daily struggles we faced with him finally began to make sense.

Isaac deals with paralyzing anxiety and an inability to adjust to change.

Last year, when most children were excited about transitioning from school into summer, he was so overwhelmed, he couldn't eat for three weeks.

He also has a tendency to become obsessed with a subject, and will rattle off every fact he's memorized even as his audience is scowling or walking away.

Part of Asperger's Syndrome is the inability to read social clues. He has no idea why other children don't want to play with him. Adding to this problem, he will rock gently or make noises when he's in a situation he isn't prepared for.

When his sensory system becomes overloaded, by loud noises or unfamiliar touch, he will scream and sob uncontrollably.

Unfortunately these behaviors only further the rejection by his peers, and make him vulnerable to bullying. Thankfully, these are the symptoms that are addressed by Autism Service Dogs.

Having a loving and loyal companion will improve Isaac's quality of life immensely; and maybe having a side-kick will help him gain back some of the confidence he's lost. The dog will be able to help disrupt self-stimming behaviors like making loud noises or rocking, by putting a paw or a laying furry head on him.

I pray that the calming effect of the dog will help Isaac sleep, and the persistent dark circles under his eyes will finally disappear. We are so excited at the thought of watching Isaac learn and grow with his new best friend.

If you would like to help Isaac reach his fundraising goal please make a donation in his honor. Thanks!

Andrew Johnson is a non-verbal six-year-old with autism. He was born with a left sided arachnoid cyst. He attends our local public elementary school. With the assistance of a device called Dynavox, he is able to spend one quarter of his school day in a typical kindergarten classroom.

He is very smart, however he doesn't have a sense of fear. Andrew doesn't know to wait for a car coming, or not to run off. He is an "escape artist." Even though we have multiple locks on our home doors, he still manages to get out.

A service dog will provide added safety for Andrew. It will also provide a companionship that he lacks with other children. With a service dog, we will be able to go out in public as a family.

As parents we would love to be able to give him a bit more independence as a typical six-year-old would have, without jeopardizing his safety.

Every parent has hopes and dreams for their children. As they watch them grow, these dreams change and grow. Our dreams for our four year old son Whit are simple. We want him to be able to walk through a store without worrying about if and when he will run off. We want to be able to get him out of the car and not worry that he will run into traffic. We want him to not scream and hurt himself when he's upset. When we take him to the park, we want the other kids to WANT to play with him, and not exclude him because he makes weird noises, or because he doesn't understand their games.

Two years ago Whit was diagnosed with Autism and Global developmental delays. Autism is a neurological disorder that affects 1 out of every 156 children in the U.S. How it manifests in each child varies. Whit does not understand danger. He cannot be trusted to stay near us while in public. He must either be in a stroller, shopping cart, or be held tightly by the hand. He is old enough now that he dislikes all of these options and avoids them whenever and however he can. Whit often runs away when we get him out of the car, sometimes going straight into the street. Other times he runs away without any clear direction.

Unlike other kids, he will not always come back when his name is called. Instead, he may run away faster. Whit does not recognize strangers as potential danger. Simple day-to-day acts that we take for granted like brushing our teeth or wearing clothes are often too much for Whit to handle. When Whit is overwhelmed he screams. If we can't fix whatever is bothering him fast enough he escalates to hurting himself, hitting his head or biting his hands in frustration.

We recently applied and were approved for an Autism Assistance dog for Whit. 4 Paws for Ability is a 501c3 non-profit that works to place highly trained service dogs in the hands of disabled children and adults. An Autism Assistance dog is trained in Behavior Disruption. When Whit is engaged in repetitive or self injurious behaviors the dog intervenes by nudging him or comforting him by snuggling. The dog is trained to have Whit tethered to him when out in public. This serves the dual purposes of keeping Whit safe and giving him the independence he so desperately wants and needs. Autism Assistance Dogs are trained in tracking (search and rescue skills) which could be the difference between minutes vs. hours of looking for Whit should he run away or hide from us.

Other organizations that offer Autism assistance dogs have 3-5 year waiting lists, but 4 Paws for Ability has found a way to speed up the process. Parents commit to raising the $13,000 needed to train a service dog rather than waiting for the organization to raise the funds for them. By taking on this responsibility, we avoid a long waiting list and get Whit the help he needs now. Whenever possible 4 Paws for Ability trains dogs found at rescue groups and shelters, providing a second chance for a dog who otherwise might never have a home.

We can't raise $13,000 alone; we need the help of our community. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of our son Whit Warren.

For more information on Whit, click here, and to see a video of his story, click here.

Help Wanted: Must Be Friendly, Intelligent, Well Trained, Have Four Legs, and Furry!

Eleven-year-old Ruben Spice has faced more challenges in his young life than most face in a lifetime. He was born with congenital heart defects that required his hospitalization multiple times since he was two weeks old (including open heart surgery at three months and heart catheters at two years and again at four years).

Ruben was diagnosed with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a defect in the ventricular septum - the wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart. He was also diagnosed with Patent Ductess Arteriosis (PDA). In a persistent PDA, such as Ruben's, there is an irregular transmission of blood between the two most important arteries in close proximity to the heart.

He was also diagnosed with delayed growth of the skeletal and muscular systems resulting in a slower growth rate, poor/weak fine and gross motor skills, scoliosis, speech delays (even though he has an extensive vocabulary), and torticollis.

When Ruben was 3 years old, he was taken to another specialist due to severe developmental delays. His family was told he would be nonverbal and so mentally delayed that he would never be able to attend school. They were devastated.

Out of sheer determination by Ruben, along with his family, friends, and caregivers, Ruben was able to prove the doctors wrong. Everyone who knows Ruben also knows that he is very bright and full of life, he just had to find a way to overcome.

By the time Ruben was four, he was speaking and comprehending above his age level. He showed great interest and a high level of understanding in all things mechanical. At the time, we didn't know it, but Ruben was showing classic signs of Asperger's Syndrome (AS). AS is known by many as High Functioning Autism. Although he was able to come out of his shell and is thought to be "normal" by those who only see him on a limited basis, Ruben struggles every day with the symptoms of AS.

Children with Autism tend to wander and are unaware of environmental dangers such as traffic, deep water, or the ill intentions of a stranger. When withdrawn within himself, he will not be aware of his environment or respond when called.

Ruben has a very hard time connecting with his peers. His personality may seem dry and rigid, causing some children his age to consider him "weird" and be put off. Stimming and repetitive activities are also symptoms of Autism that tend to draw attention. Stimming is usually characterized by an inability to remain still and include actions such as; swinging the arms, hand flapping, pacing, rocking, facial or muscular ticks (reminiscent of Tourette Syndrome), vocal noises, etc.

Ruben's stimming is very noticeable and affects the way others view him. Such social awkwardness, along with hypersensitivity to sensory stimulation, make the day-to-day actions most people take for granted an exercise in dedication and constant work for Ruben. Today Ruben is in a mainstream 6th grade classroom. He has accomplished so much over a short period of time, and dispelled the grim prognosis given to him, including a suggestion to institutionalize him. He is completely aware that he is different from his peers, however that does not stop him.

Recently, Ruben's mother was informed by an online friend about service animals specially trained for children with Autism. Upon further research, it became obvious 4 Paws For Ability was just the answer to their prayers. The dog currently being trained for Ruben is an Autism service dog. He/she will be trained in behavior disruption (to control stimming and help with social awkwardness), tether (they will be tethered together via a special harness), and tracking.

The cost to properly train an amazing dog like this is $13,000. Although most organizations offer "free" service dogs, Ruben would be put on a waiting list years long while they raised the funds to cover the costs of training. 4 Paws For Ability understands the urgency parents have to get assistance to their children. Because of this, they have made it possible for the parents to participate in the fundraising, eliminating the long and often frustrating waiting list for a "free" service animal.

You can help bring magic to Ruben's life by making your tax-deductible donation to 4 Paws For Ability on Ruben's name. You can mail checks directly to 4 Paws at:
4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave, Xenia, Ohio 45385. Please make sure to note "In Honor of Ruben Spice" in the memo portion of your check.

This will be the first service dog of its kind to be placed in Southeast Alabama. Thank you, Wiregrass, for making this a wonderful community to live, work, and play in.

We will be organizing several fund raisers to help us reach our goal. No one wishing to help will be turned away. There is no job too big or too small. Thank you so much for helping out a child in your community and helping to raise awareness of Autism and how children can overcome.

Skyler Kratz is a healthy and active six-year-old boy. Skyler lives in Wisconsin with his mom, fatherly role model, two-year-old sister and newborn brother. He was diagnosed with autism on Dec. 27, 2007. We have always known he was autistic: it just took three years for doctors to agree.

Skyler has trouble crossing the street on his own, he has big temper tantrums when he is frustrated, and will throw things or hit others. He has been found in the apartment building screaming, burying himself in the rocks in the planters, and acting like he didn’t know where he was. Skyler loves matchbox cars, Legos, and movies.

He plays alone but would love to play with others. Sometimes he doesn’t know how to act around other kids and ends up hitting them.

An Autism Assistance Dog would be a strong companion for Skyler, trained to provide the special assistance he needs. The assistance dog would accompany Skyler everywhere, acting as a safety feature.

Based in Xenia, Ohio,4 Paws For Ability is a non-profit organization that provides service dogs to families and individuals. 4 Paws trains a variety of assistance dogs, including but not limited to seizure assistance, mobility assistance, hearing ear dogs, FASD dogs, and autism assistance dogs. 4 Paws was the first agency to place skilled autism assistance dogs and continues to be the largest organization that provides this type of assistance in the United States. 4 Paws is the only organization that places autism assistance dogs with search and rescue skills.

Here are some of the ways Skyler's life will change when he has an Autism Assistance dog:

• Attached to the dog by a special harness, Skyler would be unable to run into traffic or get lost.
• The dog would be trained to comfort Skyler and interrupt his repetitive autistic behaviors, like hand-flapping.
• The dog would act as a social magnet, making it easier for other children to approach Skyler and make friends.
• Autism assistance dogs are also trained in "search and rescue." The dog would be able to track Skyler if he leaves unexpectedly.

We would love to have you help us by contributing toward the training of a service dog for Skyler. You can send a check to this address (please be sure to reference Skyler Kratz on the check or donation link):

4 Paws For Ability, Inc.
253 Dayton Ave
Xenia, Ohio 45385

All donations are tax deductible. If you want to contribute online, this can easily be done by clicking the donation link.

Michael Ewing is a highly energetic six-year-old boy. At first glance, you would think he is a typical, average child. He loves to climb, to run, and to jump.

Unfortunately, Michael does not know when these activities are safe for him to do and when they are not safe. You see, Michael has Autism.

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects his perception of the world around him and his response to others and the environment in which he lives. Michael loves to run from his parents, he thinks it is funny, a game; but this love of running has nearly gotten Michael run over several times.

Michael has also escaped from his home and back yard on several occasions and once in the mall. This is a terrifying experience for his parents and also for his siblings. Michael is also non verbal. He typically will not respond when his name is called and cannot tell you his name or where he lives.

His family wants to get him a service dog to assist him in his daily life and social interactions. Michael has been accepted to receive a Service Dog from 4 Paws for Ability.

This dog will be trained to accompany him everywhere, to track him if he gets lost, and will be tethered to him to prevent him from running away. The dog will be trained to comfort Michael and help him calm himself when he is frustrated. It would also act as a "social magnet" making it easier for other children to approach Michael and make friends.

Michael's parents (Adam and Jamie Ewing) and his sisters (Angela, 8 and Jana, 18 months) are asking for your help to raise the funds necessary to train Michael's dog.

If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability website and click on "donate," or mail a check to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385. Please write "in honor of Michael Ewing" in the memo line of your check. Your donation will be tax deductible and will be a blessing to Michael's family. Thanks!

Update on David Nahodil December 2010

New diagnosis but still needs an autism service dog.

Two years ago, we started fundraising for an autism service dog for David. His life was further complicated by serious digestive issues and developmental delays.

Since the initial appeal, David underwent bowel surgery, and then had three hospitalizations during the winter of 2008. It was a rough year, and it saw an end to his parents' marriage. Eventually, he must enter a feeding program. I would like to see his service dog by his side through this process.

David had completed a program before in Philadelphia but struggled with several medical roadblocks including a serious bowel psuedo-obstruction. After this, I researched and found a doctor name Anil Darbari at The Kennedy Kreiger Institute - which is linked to Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Darbari examined David and wanted to repeat testing before admitting him to an intense 2 month long feeding program. The morning after the completion of his bowel study, I recieved a phone call to prepare for a surgery consult at Johns Hopkins. They had come to find that David has suffered with intestinal malrotation all this time.

For years, he had been on medication that caused him extreme pain. And these medications do not relieve the problems related to malrotation. I paced three long hours the day of surgery. The surgeon did an excellent job, and reported that David's condition was worse than what showed on the imaging.

He said he spread out David's bowel the best he could throughout his gut but because it is not anatomically correct, they removed his appendix to prevent future complication. David's recovery was tough. I though he would never get better, but what a kid! He had four very painful days and then I saw the fight in him and he started talking and wanting water.

While he suffered from pseudo-obstruction twice after surgery, he has been hospital free now for a year-and-a-half.

David has grown into a unique person. He says "Hi" to everyone. He thinks everyone is a friend. It's funny how he makes everyone smile. There is something about him: he's a very special kid. My best friend says he is jovial. He knows things, but can't always find the words.

He cannot stand to see sadness, and spreads happiness everywhere he goes. He likes to make sure no one feels pain, and if someone looks hurt, he wants to help. David surely makes a difference every day he is on this earth. I feel so blessed to have him and see him grow up to be so inspirational to everyone.

Sometimes kindness like David's means consequence. I fear for him because the world is home to him. He has such a love for people and feeling of safety regardless of where he is. David doesn't know bad; he only knows good. He is smart but innocent in certain ways.

David has many obstacles to overcome, and having a four-pawed friend will keep him home safe. David's fear of eating and future therapies will be different with the extra security. His friend will be there for him to hug when he is struggling. The benefits are endless for David.

Maybe this update can somehow help David's dream come true. David says if he ever had a puppy, he would name him Iron Man. I guess he thinks the puppy can save the world with him.

I would like to add that a very special family friend, who has helped my children through many struggles over the past two years. Because of his dedication, love, and patience, David now eats bread. This is a huge accomplishment for him.

Our friend visits David occasionally to make sure he continues to work hard. There is no limit to how people can make a difference in someone's life.

Thank you for considering a donation to 4 Paws for Ability in David's name, and may you have a special holiday season and new year.

If you can help us, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with David's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of David Nahodil
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

Original Post 2008

David Nahodil  I'd like you to meet a happy, active four-year-old, my son, David Nahodil. He has a certain vibe that seems to make everyone who meets him fall in love. He has such animated body language because he struggles to find words. Born July 4, 2004, he started out life with serious digestive issues that often escalate. David was recently diagnosed with PDD (pervasive developmental disorders). Thus we struggle with the challenges of his digestive system, and as he grows older, we also struggle with his running away. To us: it's escaping. To him: it's all in a day's activity.

After giving birth to my third son, David, I knew something was not right. My little guy was treated and released for dehydration a few times and admitted for testing twice. The only thing found was an emptying delay. He was diagnosed with reflux and put on medication. At three months, he was put on Nasal Gastric tube feedings.

Nights were endless with belly pain resulting in screams of anguish. The doctors tried their best, but nothing worked. After I became critically ill and landed in the hospital, a woman told me about nursing services I might use to help with David. That service sent a wonderful nurse and she spent 10 hours a night helping me for about two years.

David had his G-tube placed January 2005. We still were hoping that he would grow out of this, but we didn't know what "this" was. Time passed. David suffered with many ear infections, colds, congestion, and pneumonia. He had long, uncomfortable nights. We felt so helpless.

David never ate baby food, besides what we would smear in his mouth in an effort to provide some nutrition. We wanted him to eat so badly, and it was hard to see him scream and cry when we would try. When he was three, he started to accept French fries perhaps twice a month in small amounts and then Ritz crackers and Cheetos, and eventually the cheese off pizza. Right now he eats either no food in a day or, at the most, a quarter of a cup of the foods I mentioned. He can't talk very well, so we don't know the reasons for all of this.

We spent six weeks at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in the outpatient feeding program while living at the Ronald McDonald House, but we had little success. We are happy with the tools we were given, though.

David was put in the hospital because he developed Gastroparesis. They had to put a nasal gastric decompression tube in to release the pressure in his stomach. We were relieved that David responded to other treatment measures and surgery was not necessary.

At that point, we wanted to go home and we blamed food for David's agony. We did, however, return to the hospital's feeding program, and completed it. The best part about the program is that they got David to sit quietly in front of food. They also got him to take bits of Trix yogurt!

David is on his feeding pump every three or four hours for an hour, four times a day. He is doing well, and looks good, and we pray that some day he will thrive on his own. David will be going to Kennedy Kreiger Hospital in late 2008 for a two-month inpatient program.

Now on to why we applied to 4 Paws for Ability for an autism service dog trained in search and rescue. He runs away. We've lost him on several occasions. It's hard to believe how fast he is. I always have to be a step ahead of him because just when I think he will stay, he's gone. David has no idea about strangers and he treats every place like its home. He just learned how to open the front door of the house and no matter what kind of blocks we put up, he figures a way to get around them. He won't hold our hands. Either he's gone or makes a spontaneous decision to chase a butterfly into the road or mix in with a nearby group of kids.

David sleeps in our bed and refuses to sleep without us, and our hope is that he will feel secure enough to sleep in his own bed with his service dog. David loves dogs, but has no clue that he could actually bring one home to keep and to wake up to in the morning. Having a service dog will change David's life; he will be happier and safer, and may be more able to socialize. We will breathe easier knowing he has a best friend that will be there for him and vice versa.

Some of David's behaviors are just starting, and we hope that we can teach him safety along the way. He has learned some things, but we have a long road ahead. We need your help to raise the funds for David's dog. All money is tax deductible and goes to 4 Paws for Ability in David's name. If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability website and click on "donate," or mail a check to:

4 Paws for Ability
David Nahodil Fund
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

A Little Boy's Hope for a 4-Pawed Friend

Hi, my name is John Bowen, but my family calls me JC. I am three years old. Mommy says I am different because I live in my own little world and sometimes I can't break out of it. I don't answer my mommy and can't make friends sometimes because in my world it's just me.

I have Autism. I'm not really sure what that is, but I get really scared when I am alone or in the middle of the night. When I get really upset or scared, I become dis-orient-ed and can hurt myself. Sometimes for no good reason, I will just go for a walk or a run. It's fun. My mommy doesn't like it too much though.

I really like the water, but I can't swim at all. I'm taking classes, but sometimes my teacher sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher and I don't understand her. The lifeguard at the YMCA looks funny when she jumps in after me. I keep her on her toes. I like people too, and no one would ever hurt me. Cars are cool, and fast, and I like to run after them. Mommy doesn't like that either.

My mommy says a friend from 4 Paws could really help make me feel safe and keep me safe. My friend could go places with me, and help keep me from being scared at night, and even help mommy find me if I wander away. I just lost a pet dog a few months ago, she use to keep me safe, so I can't wait to get a new friend… Will you help me get a new friend? Thank you for reading about me… bye!

Hi, I'm Josh Woosley and I have Aspergers Disorder. Mom tells me this means I think differently than other people. I guess she's right because I have a hard time in school. There are so many noises, and smells and people and lights. Blech. My mom and dad are hoping to get me a new friend who can go to school with me. My new friend can help me by being with me all the time, I can lean against my new friend so I don't have to lean against my teacher as much, plus my new friend can help me make other friends (I have a hard time making friends, you see).

My new friend can also help me at home by sleeping with me. I hate to sleep by myself, I get scared (but don't tell anyone, ok?). My friends at 4-paws have said they will try to find a special Autism Assistance Dog for me to take to school with me and be my new friend. If you would like to help me get my new friend that would be GREAT!! You can send money to 4-paws for ability and put my name on it and it will count towards me getting my new friend. Thanks so much for reading about me.

Love, Josh.

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