The CUSOM chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) recently hosted a bake sale and raised $750.00 to assist a local child in obtaining a seizure detection therapy dog.
Tucker, an energetic, fun loving two year old from Fayetteville, NC, has a seizure disorder. When he was just 2 weeks old, Tucker acquired a viral infection that attacked his brain and left him with permanent brain damage that has now progressed into a seizure disorder. Given his young age, his family has trouble recognizing when he is having a seizure and, therefore, has trouble managing them. Therapy dogs trained to recognize seizures are highly beneficial to patients like Tucker. His family and the community have been diligently raising the $15,000 needed to get Tucker a therapy dog that will help detect his seizures and improve his quality of life. This April, the Pediatrics Club at CUSOM held a bake sale for Tucker and raised $750!
“We were looking for a local charity or family to support, and Tucker seemed like such a great fit for our club,” shared Caitlin Whaley, MS-I and President of the ACOP CUSOM Chapter. “His family needed both monetary support and awareness, and we felt the Pediatrics Club could do both of those things.”
Being involved with outreach efforts such as this provides an additional dimension to medical training for the students at Campbell. “We had actually just learned about seizure disorders during the week of the Bake Sale. It was so rewarding to help a child affected by a disease that we studying, continued Caitlin. “We hope to help in the future with another fundraiser—his family has many medical and therapy bills in addition to the cost of the seizure dog.”
CUSOM ACOP is thankful for the students, faculty and staff at CUSOM for supporting their cause and helping Tucker get the care he needs. Tucker is currently 1/3 of the way to his goal with over $5,000 raised. For more information about Tucker’s story, visit: http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/super-tucker-s-seizure-service-dog/325130
Pediatrics Club Helps Local Child Obtain Therapy Dog