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Cecile, our sweet and bright 5-year-old daughter, has made incredible progress since her autism diagnosis 16 months ago. We've invested everything in her medical care and therapies, witnessing her growth from narrative speech to dialogue and from a palmer grip to writing her name. Though we hoped for mainstream kindergarten, she's flourishing in her micro-preschool/therapy center, and we will re-evaluate school next year. At her school-therapy center, Cecile has also made progress thanks to Frida, a Topaz Assistance Dog.

Inspired by Frida, we learned more about Topaz. At first, we were considering one of their skilled dogs, and soon realized that a service dog would offer her significantly more long-term benefits. We are thrilled that Cecile has been accepted into the Topaz program. Like many girls with autism, Cecile often masks her struggles in public, making her challenges and suffering even more invisible to others. A service dog will sense her distress and provide the support she needs to navigate these daily hurdles and struggles. This service dog will also aid her in : safety, sleep, social engagement, sensory regulation, self-care, self-awareness, social awareness, environmental transition or redirection, emotional stability, stamina, and independence.

We are grateful to our families, who have already helped us with some of the medical expenses. Now, we are reaching out to others  who have asked how they can help us. We know many of you already donate regularly to other causes, so we simply ask you to consider Cecile this August. After half the funds are in, Topaz can finalize the match, and the dog will then receive specialized training to meet her unique needs before an intensive two-week training in October, where we will learn how to maintain the dog’s training and how Cecile and the dog will work together. If you’d like to support Cecile on this journey, please consider contributing here. We are thankful for your prayers and support. Every amount makes a difference, no matter how small.

(Français)

Cécile, notre fille de 5 ans, douce et brillante, a été diagnostiquée avec un trouble du spectre de l'autisme il y a 16 mois. Depuis elle a suivi diverses thérapies, qui pour être le plus efficaces doivent être démarré avant 5 ans. Nous y avons investi tout ce que nous avions dans ses soins médicaux et ses thérapies. Et les résultats sont incroyables, elle a fait des progrès exceptionnels. En témoignent sa progression dans la parole narrative au dialogue et de la prise palmaire à l'écriture de son nom. Cependant il reste encore du chemin à faire. Bien que nous espérons la voir intégrer l'école maternelle traditionnelle, elle s'épanouit dans sa micro-pré- école-maternelle/centre de thérapie. A L'heure actuelle Cecile ne dispose pas d'énergie émotionnelle suffisante pour passer une journée complète à l'école. Nous repoussons donc son entrée dans l'école classique à dans un an. Le système américain étant fait, cela ne lui impacte pas le retard scolaire. Son centre de thérapie scolaire dispose d'un chien d’assistance appelé Frida, formé et dressé par l'association Topaz. Ce chien sert dans les thérapies avec les enfants. Cécile avait peur du chien au début, puis après quelque mois Frida a également contribué aux progrès de Cécile.

Inspirés par Frida, nous avons découvert davantage l’association Topaz. Nous avons vite compris qu'un chien d'assistance offrirait des avantages à long terme significatifs. Après plusieurs “Blind date” avec les jeunes chiens en formations de l'association, nous sommes ravis que Cécile ait été acceptée dans le programme Topaz. Ce chien d'assistance l'aidera de nombreuses façons, notamment en matière de sécurité, de sommeil, d'engagement social, de régulation sensorielle, de soins personnels, de conscience de soi, de conscience sociale, de transition environnementale ou de redirection, de stabilité émotionnelle, d'endurance et d'indépendance. En fait, le chien devrait surtout permettre à Cécile de passer une journée normale à l'école. 

Comme beaucoup de filles autistes, Cécile masque souvent ses luttes en public, rendant ses défis et ses souffrances encore plus invisibles aux autres. Nous en avons douloureusement fait l'expérience à l'école maternelle il y a presque 2, quelques mois avant son diagnostic.

Les “service dog” ou chien de service (catégorie dont font aussi partie les chiens d’aveugles) sont aux USA accepté dans tous les lieux publics ainsi qu'à l'école. Ils disposent d’un passeport vaccinal et sont autorisés à voyager sur les vols internationaux avec la personne qu’ils accompagnent. Ils ont une formation générale de 2 ans puis environ 2 mois d'adaptation spécifique à l’enfant qu’ils vont accompagner. Ce sont des chiens très bien éduqués qui n'aboient pas, communiquent leur besoin et s’adaptent à tous les environnements. Ils sont peu contraignants. Le chien est un élément neutre qui ne dérange jamais l'enfant (comme son doudou). Il est formé à sentir sa détresse et lui fournir le soutien nécessaire pour surmonter les obstacles du quotidien. 

Plusieurs personnes nous ont déjà demandé comment ils pourraient nous aider. Et nous sommes reconnaissants à nos familles, qui nous ont déjà aidés avec certains frais médicaux. Nous faisons un appel à ceux qui veulent. Nous savons que beaucoup d'entre vous donnent déjà régulièrement à d'autres causes, alors nous vous demandons simplement de considérer Cécile ce mois d'août.

Une fois la moitié des fonds récoltée, Topaz pourra finaliser le choix du chien (d’ici fin août), et le chien recevra ensuite une formation spécialisée pour répondre aux besoins de Cécile. Puis nous terminerons par une formation intensive de 2 semaines en octobre. Nous apprendrons à maintenir l'éducation du chien et comment harmoniser le travail de Cécile avec le chien. Si vous souhaitez soutenir Cecile dans ce parcours, vous pouvez contribuer ici. Il serait très bénéfique pour Cécile que nous puissions concrétiser ce projet de chien d'assistance. Merci pour vos prières et votre soutien. Chaque montant compte, aussi petit soit-il.

Marceau is six years old and lives in Jupiter with his parents and two amazing sisters. Our little boy is very active and funny. He loves spending time at the beach swimming in the waves. He also enjoys playing basketball outside with the family. He loves the outdoors, but also spends a lot of time at the library and at home playing board games or watching a good movie on the couch. He will be starting first grade in the fall with the help of a full-time aid.

Three years ago, we noticed that Marceau’s upper body was jerking several times a day. We went to a neurologist who immediately diagnosed Marceau with epilepsy. The jerks were atonic seizures, epileptic spasms, and myoclonic jerks. This difficult diagnosis, it was the beginning of a long fight against this invisible but destructible illness. Marceau has tried lots of different medications and diets, suffering many side effects, yet the seizures still aren’t controlled. He has several seizures every day and night. Recently, the doctors diagnosed Marceau with Lennox- Gastaut syndrome. This is a form of refractive epilepsy, which means it won’t go away and there are currently no medications that can control the daily seizures.

A few months ago, Marceau was also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual development delays caused by the seizures. He struggles with doing daily activities, socializing, and participating at school. He also has a hard time understanding others’ emotions or regulating his own.

Marceau has always loved dogs. We met the Topaz team during a family event for ASD kids and shared Marceau’s journey and struggles. We also watched a TV show on Netflix about a little girl with refractive epilepsy who got a seizure alert dog. This dog can sound the alarm when the child is having a seizure, get help or medications, protect her from injury, and comfort her after these scary episodes. The dog has changed her life and that’s what we want for our son.

Today we ask for your help to reach a goal that will change Marceau’s life: raising the money needed for a seizure alert dog. We want to support our little warrior’s resilience by getting him a special friend who will always be on his side. This will also be a good way to help him become more independent step-by-step, socialize with other kids, and even go to school with more confidence and the full-time help of an adult. We thank everyone for all the contributions, no matter how small. They all add up to a big change.

Meet Dylan, a vibrant, autistic 5-year-old living in the Treasure Coast of Florida with his parents and 3 brothers. Dylan brightens the world with his wonder and joy, discovering the beauty in everyday experiences, whether it is the sensation of sifting sand between his fingers or delighting in his favorite phrases from beloved episodes of shows like Ms. Rachel and Octonauts. He also enjoys special recreational gymnastics and adaptive aquatics, which play a crucial role in strengthening his low muscle tone.

Dylan navigates his world with substantial support from his parents and therapy team. Communication is a significant challenge for him. Despite speaking with scripts and echolalic phrases, Dylan faces profound difficulties in expressing his thoughts and needs effectively. He relies on an AAC device to assist with communication. This tool is invaluable in bridging the gap between his inner world and the external environment. Dylan's communication challenges are further compounded by sensory overload and emotional regulation difficulties, which often manifest in attempts to bite himself and others and engage in injurious behaviors like head-banging and eloping, requiring ongoing safety interventions.

The introduction of an Autism Assistance Dog into Dylan's life is essential to enhance his quality of life. Beyond providing comfort and companionship, this service dog will offer practical assistance with daily activities, aid in navigating overwhelming environments, and support Dylan in managing sensory overload. By reducing the frequency of biting episodes and fostering a sense of security and independence, this service dog will empower Dylan with newfound confidence in navigating social interactions.

We are committed to raising funds to provide Dylan with an Autism Assistance Dog, and your contribution, regardless of size, will make a meaningful impact on his journey. Together, we will make a positive difference in Dylan's life, enabling him to embrace each moment, overcome challenges, and radiate his infectious joy, lighting up the world with his unique perspective. On behalf of Dylan and our family, we extend our deepest gratitude for your support, and we invite you to join us in ensuring that Dylan's journey is filled with opportunities for growth, joy, and boundless possibilities.

Lincoln is a bright, happy 6-year-old boy living with autism spectrum disorder in the Tampa Bay area with his mom, dad, and cats. He is nonverbal, but through his hard work in speech therapy can give 1-3 word commands, as well as utilize his AAC “talking tablet” to effectively communicate wants and needs. Lincoln loves trains and wheels and prefers to be at eye level while they are in motion. He also has no sense of fear or how to keep himself safe. Lincoln is also very, very fast. He is a tip-toe walker and will run full force on his toes leaving his mom in the dust (daddy was a track star and can still catch him... for now). It would be easier to list the few things that autism has not impacted in Lincoln’s life, and as a result, his days look a lot different than those of his peers. From his sleep habits, what he will eat or wear, to rituals he must perform to avoid a meltdown, it has felt like the world was not made for Lincoln. Lincoln must be homeschooled for his safety and due to his intense therapy schedule. After careful research and consideration, including meeting Topaz at a disability conference where we were able to see what a service dog could do for someone with autism, we (and his doctors, therapists, and tutors) know that a service dog will change Lincoln’s life for the better. From the ability to provide emotional stability to physically keeping him safe and alerting us or blocking him from eloping, there is no aspect of Lincoln’s disability that would not be helped by a service dog. His mother has a heart condition that causes syncope without warning and is deteriorating with increased frequency of syncope episodes. With her being Lincoln’s primary caregiver, a service dog would be an extra layer of protection when she has an episode while alone at the playground, which has happened on more than one occasion. The last, being when Lincoln got out of his stroller and started running towards the parking lot before she regained consciousness. The alleviation of our fears from these scenarios and a multitude of others, would allow more concentration and efforts to be directed towards helping Lincoln thrive and not just survive with autism. Thank you.

Nate is a sweet 11 year old boy who lives in the Tampa Bay Area and loves baseball, video games and art. Nate is on the Autism spectrum and has also been diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with daily life skills. Public spaces and general life can be overwhelming and he struggles to self-regulate, which often results in elopement in social situations or in meltdowns. Nate also struggles with communication and sensing danger. Being partnered with an assistance dog will allow Nate to be more independent in social situations, as his partner can help him self regulate, stay safe and provide additional support rather than Nate having to rely on an adult for those things. This service would give him the best access to typical preteen and teen activities without those annoying parents always hanging around. He has experience with dogs in a therapeutic setting and we are excited to see all the new adventures he and a partner will take on together.

Daniel is an energetic 10 year old boy who loves being outdoors, biking, and Swimming. He is diagnosed with non verbal ASD, anxiety, and severe OCD. His struggles impact his quality of life daily and manifest in outburst as well as self injurious behaviors. We worry about elopement and him not recognizing danger. We know an assistance dog will provide Daniel with companionship as well as increase his social skills. We have worked with dogs in the past during Speech and occupational therapies and noticed how enjoyable working with dogs is for Daniel. We’ve seen him make improvements in behavior, reduction of self injurious behaviors, and complying therapies when he’s able to work alongside an assistance dog. This is a life changing opportunity for Daniel and our family.