Stryder Doescher

Bend, OR

Northwest Catastrophic Illness Fund

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2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087

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Dear friends and family,

I’m writing to ask for your help in getting Stryder a new service dog. Keebler, Stryder’s beloved service dog of almost 10 years, is retiring. Stryder has a rare, debilitating connective tissue disorder (clEDS), cervical instability, epilepsy, autonomic dysregulation, and much more. He relies on Keebler for help with mobility, medication reminders, and detecting seizures.

September 14, 2023

Good News!

We found a great breeder who is donating one of her Golden Retriever puppies to us. Timber Pine Goldens (https://www.timberpinegoldens.com/) breeds service and therapy dogs and after speaking with Cathy and going over all of the questions I had, we feel it's a GREAT fit. We chose to get a puppy and train her through a local service dog trainer because we know Keebler is a senior dog and we want him to have a chance to help train and show the new puppy the ropes.

We will be using Compas Key (https://www.ckdogs.com/) as the training program and there is a local trainer here in Bend. Stryder will be doing the training in order to form a bond and learn what his dog will be doing. Compass Key training is VERY expensive (as are all reputable service dog trainers) and we will also need to raise money for vets, equipment, and pet insurance, so it's still quite a bit of money.

We also have an Amazon wishlist if anyone would rather help in that way: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/33P3FRS64L8LD?ref_=wl_share

By the way, the puppy will be a girl and her name is Nestlé- we should have her at the beginning of November.

May 29, 2023

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you today to ask for your help in providing Stryder Doescher with a service dog. Stryder is a 15-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with a myriad of medical conditions, including widespread autonomic failure, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (clEDS), epilepsy, and several others. Despite the challenges he faces, Stryder is a happy and resilient young man.

A service dog would provide Stryder with a number of benefits, including:

* Assistance with mobility: Stryder often has difficulty walking, and a service dog could help him to get around safely and independently.

* Providing emotional support: A service dog can provide companionship and emotional support to Stryder, which can help to improve his quality of life.

* Alerting to medical emergencies: A service dog could be trained to alert Stryder to changes in his vital signs, such as a drop in oxygen levels or an oncoming seizure. This could help to prevent serious medical complications.

The cost of training and providing a service dog for Stryder is significant. We are asking for your help in raising the funds needed to make this dream a reality.

There are several ways that you can help:

* You can make a financial donation. Any amount will be greatly appreciated.

* You can help us get the word out either online or in person by handing out flyers to people and businesses. They can be found here: https://bit.ly/3MO5HhW

* You can volunteer your time to help with fundraising events. We will be planning several.

* You can donate goods or services to be auctioned off at our fundraiser.

* Purchase something off of our Service dog wishlist on Amazon: https://bit.ly/43TSs6H

May 5, 2023

April 27, 2023

For those that want to download flyers and other resources on fundraising, I am loading them all on Google Docs

bit.ly/3MO5HhW

I will add more as they become available. Stay tuned for more updates as well!

March 24, 2023

FAQs

*What tasks will the new service dog be trained for?

Stryder’s new service dog will be trained to alert to seizures, help pick up items off the ground, especially when he is in his wheelchair, and open doors. We are also looking for additional training to detect vitals that are either high or low, such as blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen. These tasks are some that Keebler is able to do and we hope he will train the new service dog to master those tasks the same way he has, but of course, the new dog will have training first.

*What happens if extra money comes in?

Any extra funds that come in as a result of your efforts support other medical funds that may come up. Help Hope Live donations are applied directly to medical costs, including the new service dog.

*How much money do we have to pay/raise?

Our contract states it will be $16,000 for the training and then we will need funds for travel to “learn how to use the dog.” We are looking to raise $20,000 for travel and training the new service dog.

*How long does it take to get a service dog?

There is a period of time between the completion of fundraising or payment of the fee for service and placement. This time frame can be at least 2 years, as the dog must be bred, raised, and trained.

*Why does it cost so much?

A large majority of service dog agencies list their dogs as “no cost to the recipient,” which is often taken to mean “free.” However, service dogs are not free. The agency placing the dogs, “at no cost to the recipient” has received donations for the funding of the dog placement. In other words, someone other than the recipient paid for the training of his or her dog.