At just 12 years old, Cesar’s life changed in February 2023 when he was diagnosed with epilepsy. What should be years filled with school, friends, sports, and laughter have instead included seizures, hospital visits, medications, and constant uncertainty.

Epilepsy means Cesar can have seizures without warning. Some days are good. Other days are filled with exhaustion, headaches, confusion, and fear of when the next seizure might happen. Simple things many kids his age take for granted — staying the night at a friend’s house, playing outside freely, or even being alone in a room — require careful supervision.

But Cesar is incredibly brave.

He continues to go to school, smile through challenges, and push forward despite the obstacles epilepsy places in his path. Still, the unpredictability of seizures affects his independence and confidence. That’s why we are fundraising for something life-changing: a seizure response service dog.

A trained service dog can:

• Alert to seizures before they happen

• Stay with Cesar during a seizure to keep him safe

• Get help from an adult

• Provide comfort and reduce anxiety

• Help Cesar gain confidence and independence

A service dog is more than a companion — it is protection, freedom, and peace of mind. Unfortunately, seizure service dogs can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and they are not typically covered by insurance.

We are asking for your support to help bring this life-changing partner into Cesar’s life.

Your donation — no matter the size — brings Cesar one step closer to greater safety, independence, and confidence. If you are unable to give, please consider sharing his story.

Thank you for standing with Cesar and believing in his strength.

Training a service dog to meet our child’s requirements can be very costly. On average it costs between $40,000-60,000 to raise, train, and place a service dog at 4 Paws for Ability. While 4 Paws for Ability fundraises to help cover a significant portion of this cost, families are tasked with raising $20,000 of that amount or $23,000 if receiving a poodle, doodle or papillon. We hope that we can receive assistance from our beloved family and friends to help make our service dog dream a reality.