Giving Amelia her world back with Sammy the Service Dog

Looking into your child’s eyes and not being recognised is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Seeing fear in those same eyes is something that never leaves you.

This has been our reality with our daughter Amelia (14).

Before becoming unwell, Amelia was a happy, sporty, social teenager. Just before her 13th birthday, she collapsed during a game of netball. That was the start of a complex neurological condition that took away her memory, her independence, and her everyday life.

Amelia’s brain sends the wrong signals. She loses consciousness every few days and when she wakes, she is disoriented with profound memory loss. She doesn’t know who we are or where she is. She describes it as waking up in a world she doesn’t recognise, without knowing where she has come from.

At times she cannot speak and experiences a wide range of debilitating symptoms; including losing the ability to read and write, her limbs not responding, pain and fatigue.

Through extraordinary determination, Amelia has regained many skills. However her condition still has a significant impact on her independence and quality of life and she has a very long road ahead of her.

Amelia has now been matched with service dog, Sammy, through Pawsible Service Dogs.

Sammy will be trained to stay with Amelia when she loses consciousness, keep her calm when she's disoriented and alert for help. He will provide constant safety, recognition of her invisible disability, give her confidence and provide her with a link to the world.