News
Two special-needs children in Arizona need a little help to get one very special friend
Being an Alpha is tough.
Raising five children is tough.
Being an Alpha raising five children is really tough – especially if two of them are special needs children. That’s why the Truett family is looking toward the community for a little help.
The Truetts are a big family of seven: Dakota is 9, Kaylee is 7, Abigail is 3, Jamie, who is adopted, is eight and Justin, also adopted, is 5. And while their parents, Desiree and Tim, say adopting the children was “the best decision we ever made,” having two children with severe disabilities can be hard to manage.
But a specially trained “Seizure Alert” dog (trained by a group called 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia, Ohio) would make their lives much easier.
Justin has cerebral palsy, profound brain damage, microcephaly, and is tube-fed. He’s nonverbal and immobile, and requires 24-hour supervision. He also experiences frequent “silent seizures” that can be deadly if not treated in time.
The dog would be able to monitor Justin during the night and alert the family of any seizures.
Jamie, who is legally blind, would also benefit from the dog, who could help guide her around.
The Truetts need a total of $13,000 for a “down payment”, plus another $4000 for a two-week trip to Ohio so the dog can be trained to work with Justin and Jamie. Total cost for the dog will be around $25,000.
So far, the family has just a little over $10,650.
They’ve teamed up with Bill Clark, Director of Outreach Programs for the COPD Foundation and also an Alpha, to create a fundraising button.
Proceeds from the button sales will go towards helping these amazing children find their new best friend. Buttons will be given for any donation amount.
The Truetts were one of two families who are dealing with both Alpha-1 and adopted special-needs children that were featured in the winter issue of Alpha-1 magazine.
You can get the scoop on Justin and follow his fundraising efforts at www.4pawsforJustin.blogspot.com
Read the Truett’s previous story on our website:
