The week of Christmas 2025, our family was ready to settle in for a cozy celebration at home.  Little did we know that our lives were about to change forever.  Caleb began having dozens of non-convulsive seizures on Christmas Day.  They came out of nowhere, with no family history of epilepsy.  We were referred to pediatric neurology at Stanford Children's, met with our phenomenal epileptologist, and following an EEG and MRI, Caleb was diagnosed with Childhood Absence Epilepsy.  We believe for his full and complete healing.  So far he has been unresponsive to anti-seizure medication, and continues to have multiple seizures every day.

We believe that a service dog would provide Caleb and our family with peace of mind, support and stability. A dog would alert us to seizure activity if we were not in the room with him, nudge him to help him come out of the seizure faster, provide support and comfort for him following a seizure, and a service dog could make sure he stays safe when crossing the street or parking lot. A dog would also be a companion and friend. Caleb has already expressed that a service dog will make sure he wouldn't be alone if he has another "pause" in public. We believe a service dog would also serve to positively support his mental health, giving him confidence and security knowing the service dog is there for him. A service dog would also create positive social interactions with friends.

Caleb's father has a job that requires our relocation every couple of years.  A service dog would provide a source of stability and consistency as an unchanging source of support and an invaluable member of our team, with a crucial role to play in supporting Caleb's medical journey.

Thank you for your support, whether it be through prayer or financial contribution toward Caleb's service dog.  We are confident that our God is able, and there is nothing too great for Him.

Sincerely,

The Shumate Family

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.