Help Leia Become a Service Dog for Parkinson’s

Aim

Raise $7500 for Leia become the service dog she is meant to be and supporting someone who has spent so many years helping others.

Help Leia Become a Service Dog for a Parkinson’s Warriorl

Just a few months ago, life changed in ways we never expected.

After months of struggling with the reality of a Parkinson’s diagnosis, things suddenly took a frightening turn. She was hospitalized for 14 days after experiencing severe hallucinations — something that was terrifying for both her and our family.

For over 20 years, my mom worked in the school district transportation department, including 14 years dedicated to helping homeless and foster students get safely to and from school. It was work she loved deeply. Because of Parkinson’s and the risks that come with it, she had to step away from the job and community that meant so much to her.

Over the past two years, she has worked hard to maintain her independence and continue serving others. Recently, things took a frightening turn when she experienced severe hallucinations that required a 14-day hospitalization. It was a deeply unsettling experience for both her and our family and marked a sudden shift in daily life.

During this incredibly difficult time, an 8-month-old Labradoodle named Leia came into her life.

From the very beginning, Leia has stayed faithfully by her side. She follows her around the house, waits patiently outside the shower and at the door when she steps outside, and seems to know when she needs comfort. Leia has already shown a natural instinct to care for her.

Because of the progression of Parkinson’s, she faces:

• Balance Support & Fall Prevention: Leia can be trained to "brace" (stand firm) to provide a solid point of support if she feels dizzy or loses her balance.

• Mobility Support: "freezing" (a common symptom where legs feel stuck), Leia can be trained to nudge her leg or gently pull on a harness to initiate movement.

• Safety & Emergency Alerting: Leia can be trained to press an emergency alert button, fetch a phone, or alert another family member if she has a fall

• Retrieval Tasks: Leia can be taught to pick up dropped items (like phones, canes, or medication) to prevent dangerous falls from bending over.

• Hallucination Support: Similar to psychiatric service dogs, Leia can be trained to act as a "reality check" when my mom is experiencing delusions or confusion, helping her feel grounded and safe, particularly during nighttime waking.

• The emotional toll of a life-changing diagnosis

With proper training, Leia could become a service dog who helps with balance support, alerts during episodes, and provides the companionship and security needed during this Parkinson’s journey.

Service dog training is incredibly expensive, and right now the cost is beyond what we can manage alone. But Leia has already proven she has the heart and dedication to do this work.

We are raising funds to help cover professional service dog training so Leia can become the support partner she already wants to be.

Every donation, share, and word of encouragement helps more than you know. Thank you for helping Leia become the service dog she is meant to be — and for supporting someone who has spent so many years helping others. ❤️

This project closed unsuccessfully on 5th May 2026