Hello! My name is Kendall Hamm and I'm a 21 year old with many chronic illnesses, including EDS (Ehlers danlos syndrome), POTS (postural orthistatic tachycardia syndrome) Chiari Malformation, IH (intracranial hypertension), Mast cell and a lot more. These illnesses make it very hard for me to live a "normal" life. With over 3 dozen surgeries, countless procedures and hospital stays in the past decade, I have had a lot of days where I didn't leave my bed or I didn't even lift my head from a pillow. 

Back in 2016 after I had my decompression surgery for Chiari, my spinal fluid pressure got really bad and I ended up spending 2 years of my life in bed in a dark room with an ice pack glued to my forehead. After that, I had to have a VP shunt placed in December of 2018 to regulate my spinal fluid pressure which gave me a shot at life again. I love staying busy and working, so having the opportunity to get out of bed and fight for the life I've always wanted was a gift I couldn't even imagine receiving. 

Growing up in a hospital has taken quite the toll on me and my mental health. Having a good 5 months or so and then ending up with a port infection or debilitating pain has been never-ending. Going from thinking I am getting better to realizing that's never going to happen and I'm pushing myself way to much. All of the medical issues and trauma has caused me to develop fainting episodes, seizures, panic attacks, constant vision blacking out, etc. I also have trouble with bending or squatting to pick something up, when I do I become extremely dizzy and need to sit down.

Having a service dog would give me the opportunity to be independent again and possibly to live on my own. 

The tasks a service dog would provide for me are:

-Mobility (mobility assistance would give me something to hold onto whenever I get dizzy or feel like fainting while walking, or bracing me if I fall or faint)

-Medical alert (this task would give me the confidence to go out on my own and not be constantly worried about passing out or having a seizure knowing that I'd always have someone to catch me, help me to the ground and to give me pressure treatment for the panic attacks and seizures. The dog would also be able to alert other humans if something unexpected happens)

-Item retrieval (since I get so dizzy and light headed whenever I bend or crouch to get something off the floor, the dog would provide assistance in retrieving the item and handing it to me so I wouldn't have to bend. This would also help me whenever I had a crippling headache and couldn't get off the couch, the dog would be able to retrieve my medication, water, blanket etc.)

My reason for making this post is because this presents quite a financial obstacle. 

The cost of a service dog on average can cost up to $30,000, but I have been recommended by a friend with 2 daughters with EDS to Doggie Do Good, an organization that trained 2 of their service dogs that are successfully improving their lives, they cost much less then the average dog training school, and they don't have a few year wait list. They estimated the cost of around $25,000 including the cost of the dog, months of basic training, months of specific training tailored to my needs based off of my medical conditions, equipment, the dog's health and diet costs during this period of training, and travel expenses for me to get there. We also have a graduation for the dogs at the end of the training process. They require a $8,000 deposit to begin the pairing process. 

I can be paired with a dog ASAP once the initial deposit is paid. Once I am paired with a dog, they will then begin months of specific training tailoring the dogs skills to my needs including a one week stay at the end to guide us through the transfer of ownership of the dog. The process will take up to 10 months, and by the end the rest of the money will be due. Then we will get a graduation, and I will be able to take the dog home!

I realize that $25,000 is a very large sum. Please realize that by supporting me in my pursuit with partnering with a mobility assistance and medical alert dog, you will be giving me hope for a future where I need even less assistance, have more independence, and can pursue regular activities and maybe even pursue a career in Culinary! You will be giving my life more consistency and removing much of the unpredictability that my limitations create, and for many years.

Thank you so much for reading this far and if you can donate I appreciate it more than you will ever know. I understand that times are tough right now, so if you cannot donate I'd greatly appreciate you sharing this request in order to help us reach our needed funding goal.

Thank you again and I want everyone to know that this fundraiser is in honor of my beautiful little sister Lilly Catherine Hamm who couldn't be here today because God wanted her to be with Him 💜❤️

Happy birthday Lilly angel🌸

-Kendall