Smartpup for Elsie (182217)

23 Sep Smartpup for Elsie (182217)

There has been so, so, so many tears. So much heartache – seeing our little girl struggle with life.
Elsie’s day revolves around anxiety causing her to pick her nails until they bleed, chew her hair, stimming for long periods of time while disengaging from the world and violently thrashing her body around when she is having a breakdown, causing bruises and cuts to her body.
Part of Elsie’s diagnosis – especially present in girls with Autism, is the profound ability for her to ‘mask’ or camouflage. Elsie uses conscious and unconscious strategies, which may be explicitly learned or implicitly developed, to minimize the appearance of autistic characteristics during social settings, as well as internalizing aggression and anxiety.
What this means, is for many of you – you do not see ‘Elsie’ and Elsie is constantly putting on a brave face while interacting with the world around her. Most of the time, Elsie’s struggles, true emotions and darkest feelings, are only laid bare for myself and Cam to see – and for us to pick up the pieces.
We have created this page to ask you to help Elsie’s world become a little less stressful – a little bit easier, a little bit brighter.
We have been fortunate enough to have received a letter of offer from ‘Smart Pups – Assistance Dogs for Special Needs Children’.
This means, Elsie is eligible for an Assistance Dog, to support her in her day-to-day tasks and in return bring some peace and happiness into Elsie’s world and our little family.
Part of this process is a requirement for us to raise the initial funds ($20,000) needed to purchase and start training an Assistance dog for Elsie.
We do not like asking for help, but now more than ever – we need it.
We would be so thankful for any contribution you could make, to help us pay for an Assistance Dog for Elsie.

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