We would like to introduce you to our daughter Chloe. She is 15 years old. As a young girl she loved to play outside, fish, hiking, and swimming. She would play with her sister and our dogs, or go to her room and play with her toys alone. Chloe was very shy, but started to come out of her shell, make friends and become more independent.
We began our homeschool journey in 2018, and moved out of our hometown. In 2019 we joined a homeschool co-op where she met new people. She found a passion for animals and was volunteering at an exotic animal rescue until covid shut it down. There she found her first pet Rosco, a rescue Chinchilla, which led to her second chinchilla Grogu.
Chloe began to find a passion for other activities, Aerial silk, hula hoop, sewing, and crochet. She was becoming withdrawn and quiet. On December 26, 2021 we noticed her having a neck tic. In the span of one week she went from being able to do anything she wanted, to having to be with someone at all times.
Over the next few months the symptoms progressively became worse. Full body tics, vocal tics, non responsive seizures. Many specialists, more hospital stays, tests and hard treatments. They gave us referrals to an Epilepsy specialist 5 hours away for an monitored EEG and a movement specialist 12 hours away. In May 2022 we received a diagnosis of Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). August 2022 we met with the movement specialist. He gave us 2 possible diagnoses, 1 tourette, and 2 Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Chloe also has social anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.
Due to her tics becoming more harmful to herself and her seizures Chloe has lost most of her independence that all teenagers need. We have applied and been accepted for her to receive a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability. Our hope is that with the service dog she will gain her independence back. The service dog will be trained for Chloe’s specific needs, which include alerting when Chloe is having a seizure, helping disrupt the harmful tics, and help with calming her down when having panic attacks.
It takes approximately 2-2.5 years to receive a service dog. The cost of a service dog is between $40,000 – $60,000. There are many people involved with breeding, raising and training a service dog, trainers, vet, facility costs etc. We are asked to pay a small portion of that cost $20,0000. Please join us to help get Chloe a service dog that will help her flourish and assist her with her daily life.
Donations to help Chloe receive her Service Dog should be made directly to 4 Paws for Ability please put Chloe’s name on the memo line. Mail checks to:
4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Chloe Landess
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio, 45385
If you wish to make an online donation, it can be done below.