Child Author Raises Money for Seizure Assistance Dog

Four hundred seizures a month!

That number is frightening for any adult living with epilepsy, but imagine a 7-year-old boy having to endure such trauma.

Evan Moss began having seizures when he was less than a month old. By the tender age of four, the number of episodes had reached that astounding number each month.  Evan soon underwent brain surgery, and for nearly two years, this Alexandria child knew what it was like to be seizure-free. 

Sadly, the seizures are back, but less frequent.  Evan and his parents are determined that this chronic neurological condition will not regain the upper hand, so they are turning to a stranger for help and healing. 

Evan, like most children, wants a dog that runs, plays fetch, and cuddles with him. 

But how would a dog handle his seizures?  Evan is about to find out how committed his pup will be, and how one day, this special animal may save his life.

Evan writes about the dog that’s being specially trained to help him deal with his condition in his new book. In his time away from video games, his friends, and his love for Pokémon, he managed to write and illustrate the book called "My Seizure Dog."  It’s about what life will be like when he and his new best friend finally unite and begin their grand adventures together. 

An excerpt from his book reads: 

"The seizure dog will go to the hospital with me."

"The seizure dog will eat pizza with me."

"If I go to outer space, the seizure dog will come too."

"My seizure dog will go everywhere with me."

Karen Shirk with 4 Paws for Ability says, “These dogs can be the difference between life and death.”

It costs 4 Paws for Ability, $22,000 to train and place a service dog with a disabled child, and each family is asked to raise $13,000 through fundraising. 

This Sunday, July 24, Evan will host a book signing from 1 – 3 p.m. at Grounded Coffee Shop in Alexandria. All proceeds from the sale of his book will go towards training and caring for his dog.

Books are also available online at https://www.createspace.com/3626033

To learn more about Evan or to make a donation, visit http://www.crowdrise.com/Dog4Evan

For Evan’s parents, his dog will be their own custom-trained baby monitor.  Evan’s seizures usually happen during the night and because they last for so long, medication is always needed to stop them. 

“Because of this, Evan sleeps in our bed, and we sleep lightly, with one hand on him at all times,” says Evan’s mom, Lisa.

Lisa adds this dog will give them a piece of mind, knowing someone else will be watching over their son, and in this case, have at least one paw on him during the night.

“The main thing is the dog will be the biggest help because he will alert us when Evan is having a seizure,” says Lisa.

But Lisa also lists other areas where the dog will play a critical role:

• Seizure Response: respond to seizures so we can act quickly
• Behavior Disruption: distract Evan from self-injurious behavior
• Balance: provide extra support needed after seizures or from medication side effects
• Tethering: in crowded areas a second lead used for Evan's safety

Evan doesn’t even know if his dog is a boy or girl, its name or exactly when it will arrive, but there is already a strong bond that will likely not be broken for years to come.

"Dogs are my favorite animals, and I hope mine will be my best friend,” says Evan.