Anna Diaz

My name is Anna Diaz and I am 22 years old. Things I love to do are; reading, writing, going to the gym, spending time with family, and advocating for people with disabilities. Advocating for people with disabilities wasn’t always something I loved doing because when I was diagnosed with Epilepsy at 6 years old, I didn’t want to accept it myself.

Today, that is one of the main reasons I keep going. I absolutely love teaching people about Epilepsy, Seizure Disorders, and the challenges them and their families face. A huge reason that this Topaz Assistance companion would help me and my family is that they would finally be certain that I am okay and with someone that will protect and understand me.

Grace Kelly

My name is Grace Kelly and I have lived in southwest Florida for all 18 years of my life. For 16 years of that life, my mom and I tried desperately to find a diagnosis that encompasses all my difficulties. It would eventually take watching “Rain Man” to get my answer. Multiple doctors later confirmed that I was born with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Savant Syndrome. I’m grateful for the gifts that I’ve been given as a savant; but, it doesn’t make having autism any easier. In fact, it’s the reason it took so long to find my diagnosis.

Finding out I have something that I will have for the rest of my life was devastating. I lost hope that my life could ever get to be tolerable, let alone enjoyable. When my mom found out about autism service dogs, I found the hope that I had been missing all my life! From learning how much I could gain from an autism dog, I learned about mobility service dogs. Not only is there something that can aid with my autism-related issues, but medical-related ones as well! Like many people with ASD, I have many miscellaneous medical issues. For one: my left leg is ½ inch longer and has 2 ½ more muscles than the right leg. This causes constant imbalance, limited mobility when bending my ankle, and makes using stairs dangerous. There are so many ways that a service dog would help me that it would be near impossible to list them all.

I am so excited to have found the help that I’ve needed for so long in the form of a TOPAZ assistance dog. Anything that can be donated to help me and my future best friend find each other would be greatly appreciated!

Lily

Hi, I’m Lily and I live in North Florida. I’m an active 13-year-old who has Type 1 Diabetes. I go to school, I play soccer, I hang out with my friends on the weekends, and I do normal things that a teenager does but having diabetes has an impact on my daily life all the time. I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 10 years old. Since I’ve been diagnosed I haven’t had a sleepover unless it's at my own home. I don’t wake up at night to my low alarms and I drop low super-fast most of the time I don’t realize it until it's too late and I can't communicate with other people that I’m low and I can't get my juice or candy. When I drop super low, I get spacey and unaware of things going on around me, I can’t communicate with the people around me, and I just sit there shaky and feeling bad. Some days I go low multiple times, and I’m not able to do my soccer practices or other activities. A diabetic alert dog would be extremely helpful and important to me because it can alert me when I’m starting to go low, I can feel comfortable sleeping over at friends’ houses, and it can alert me throughout the night when I don’t hear my alarms. The dog would be able to come with me to school and alert me when I don’t realize I’m going low. Having a diabetic-alert dog will help me so much throughout my life, and I can't wait to get my new best friend! Any donation towards my goal would be very appreciated and needed. Thank you!

Carly

My name is Carly and I am 22 years old. I have lived in Southwest Florida my entire life, aside from four years spent in Tallahassee to earn my Bachelors from Florida State University (go Noles!). I hope to build a career as a performing cellist, teaching artist, and advocate but need your help to continue to pursue my dreams and have an impact through music and in the lives of people with disabilities.

I was born with Autism Spectrum Disorder and will have it for the rest of my life. I have had too many close calls stepping in front of cars. Friends and family have had to stop me or pull me out of the way. I fully understand the inherent risk of crossing a street, but because of the way my brain processes information, I often do not notice I am approaching a dangerous situation. My dog will be trained to alert me to sounds like fire alarms and to stop at curbs and street crossings so I can respond accordingly and make safe decisions. I have approached several other service dog training organizations that turned me away because I am an autistic adult. Topaz, on the other hand, has been welcoming and understanding at every stage of the process. I will be proud to represent them as their first adult recipient of an autism assistance dog.

Topaz goes above and beyond in their willingness to serve disabled people with complex needs, and I am no exception. In 2021, I was in a hit-and-run accident and suffered a brain injury. Because the other driver fled the scene, I have no recourse for what happened to me. As a result of this injury, my body fails to pump blood to my brain fast enough upon standing. This results in heart palpitations, dizziness, balance issues, blurred or blacked-out vision, and even loss of consciousness. I will not be able to continue to perform on stage, or perform many tasks of daily living if my condition worsens. I am pursuing treatment where it can help, and where it cannot, my dog will be trained to step in.

Many thanks for any contributions towards this goal. This would not be possible without your support!

Alia

My name is Alia and I live in southeastern Colorado. I’m 20 years old, work from home, and live with my loving husband. After surviving domestic violence, sexual assault, and anorexia in high school, I developed CPTSD and severe anxiety. These conditions make it impossible for me to be out in public by myself without having severe panic attacks. I also struggle to manage my panic attacks at home when there is nobody there to help me. It’s hard not feeling safe even in my own home. After many medications and therapies, I’m still struggling to regain my independence. I got married in June of 2021 and once I have an assistance dog, we plan on taking our honeymoon so I am able to enjoy the experience rather than worrying about and managing my disabilities. Having an assistance dog would also allow me to get back into my passion for working out. I love working out and lifting, but I’m unable to go to the gym without somebody else. An assistance dog will allow me to exercise with a sense of safety. Overall, an assistance dog will provide me with a more peaceful and productive life. The freedom of being able to get out by myself and feeling safe in my own home without being dependent on someone else is going to be amazing and I can’t wait to have my freedom back.

Topaz is such an incredible organization and I truly can’t thank them enough for helping me get on the path to independence. They’ve been so understanding and so helpful in starting the process to find me a placement. I’m looking forward to having a companion by my side to help me through life.

Please consider making a donation to help me reach my goal, any amount is very much appreciated. Thank you for your support

Shelley

Hello!

My name is Shelley. I’m sixty years old and live in Dallas County. Singing in the church choir, volunteering, and spending time with my family are my favorite things. Unfortunately, my health has inhibited me from experiencing the parts of life that are most important to me.

In 2014, I experienced a stroke that left me with numbness and severe balance issues. I have diabetes induced neuropathy and PTSD induced anxiety attacks which lead me to avoid large public places. I also harbor a fear of being alone when experiencing an attack. Before Piper, my current Topaz Assistance Dog, I couldn’t walk or climb stairs without help; I had difficulty picking up items from the floor; I couldn’t do the laundry and I was in constant pain due to neuropathy. I became a hermit and ached for the things I was once able to do - I stopped living. Piper gave me the courage to live.

There are no words I can use to describe how significantly Piper changed my life. In addition to helping me with mobility needs, she has given me the confidence to go for walks, visit my Granddaughter, join the church choir again, and do the laundry without toppling in head first!

We are in great need of a successor. Piper has served me well in her assisting career and it’s her time to kick back, relax, and soak up all the petting she can handle.