Crossing four lanes of traffic to get to the mall may seem easy to some, but it worries one Aurora resident and her mother. Mandy Robar had her first seizure within 24 hours of birth and was diagnosed with epilepsy at age four. On more than one occasion, Mandy, now 24, has had a seizure while crossing the street and cannot safely make it to the other side.
“She loses her vision when she has a seizure,” her mother, Melodie, explained. “Sometimes she gets confused afterward too.”
Mandy has undergone several surgeries and has tried 22 different medications, hoping each would end the episodes, but none have done the trick.
After spending two weeks in Toronto Western Hospital’s epilepsy monitoring unit to determine the origin of her seizures, it became apparent she will have to cope with them for the rest of her life.
“It is difficult to tell someone it will get better when you know it won’t,” Mrs. Robar said. “So we have accepted it is something we will have to accept and learn to live with.”
Although there isn’t a cure for her epilepsy, all hope of independence and a fulfilling life is not lost, especially with Kramer, a service dog being trained to help Mandy.
“Kramer is being trained to pull me away from the road if he thinks I am going to go into a seizure,” she said.
The golden shepherd collie will also alert her to traffic she may not be able to see —as she has lost her peripheral vision during a surgery — retrieve items she may drop or forget after a seizure. He will also ease her to the ground when necessary, help her balance and is trained to push a panic button when a seizure sets in.
After being turned down by a multitude of dog training organizations because she didn’t fit criteria, Mandy and her family have finally found hope.
Key Companion Service-Dogs trainer Jac Harbour has trained Kramer since November and will continue until July when the pooch will be brought to meet Mandy. She will continue to teach the dog according to Mandy’s needs.
“It will give her independence, which she so badly wants,” Mrs. Robar said. “It will also put my concern of safety at ease.”
The cost of training a dog for this work is $14,000, which the family has been trying to raise through various means. To date, they have raised $11,400. However, there will be ongoing costs, such as vet care, grooming, insurance and other necessary supplies.
An event to help Mandy reach her fundraising goal is planned. The Make and Take Scrapbooking workshop is Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Aurora Public Library, 15145 Yonge St., in the Magna Room. Admission is an open donation to Key Companion Service-Dogs.
Creative Memories will provide all supplies for the workshop except for the picture attendees wish to work with. Refreshments will be served and there is an opportunity to win door prizes.
But the Robars will not stop once the funds are raised as they wish to create a website to promote awareness of service animals for people with multiple needs.
To make a donation or to find out more, contact Melodie Robar at 905-727-6554 or melodie.robar@gmail.com.