Thanks for visiting Eli's Fundraising Page! We are fundraising for a Smart Pup assistance dog for Eli. It will be trained to help Eli gain independence and confidence, keep him safe, alert others during seizures and provide him with emotional and physical support. For those who don't know Eli, he is 4 years old and has a very rare genetic condition. He has faced many challenges in his short life but he is a very determined and happy little soul. As he grows we learn more about his challenges, how to work with them, and overcome them. Words do not come easily to Eli but he is still a very social person, he loves to laugh, sing, and interact with anyone who wants to join him. Eli also has difficulty with decision making, he has trouble understanding that running onto a street is dangerous or staying focused enough to complete a task. An assistance dog for Eli will mean that he has a friend for life who can protect him in unsafe situations. In August 2016 Eli experienced many seizures over several days which led to him being airlifted to the children's hospital in Brisbane. While in the hospital we learned of some differences in Eli's brain that make him more susceptible to seizures. Eli's assistance dog will be trained to sleep beside him every night and notify us if he is having a seizure. The Smart Pup will also act as a bridge between him and the rest of the world, easing feelings of isolation and fostering opportunities for social inclusion, friendship and belonging. The Smart Pup will be selected especially for Eli and will be specially trained to suit his needs. It can take up to two years of training for the dog to be ready, and he is already approaching the ideal age to have this help. This is an expensive project and costs at least $25,000 of which we need to raise $20,000 to contribute. The dog will only begin training once we have reached our fundraising goal. All donations made are charitable donations to Smart Pups, and donations over $2 are tax deductible. Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about Eli and helping him stay safe and enjoy life!