Hello, my name is Alyssa Bean!

I am 28 years old and live in Blandon, PA. I am reaching out to my community because I am fundraising to get a Service dog from Little Angels Service Dogs, a non-profit organization that trains dogs to assist their recipients with Mobility Tasks, Seizure & Diabetic Alert, Hearing Loss, Autism, PTSD, Panic Attacks, and many other
needs.

Learn More Donate

About Little Angels Service Dogs

Raising, training, and placing a service dog costs a minimum of $38,000. Expenses can include food, medical care, breeding costs, supplies (crates, food, dishes, toys, collars, leashes, etc.), paying the licensed trainers at Little Angels, and overhead costs. Little Angels Service Dogs relies on the donors to place service dogs with adults and kids who can benefit significantly from one of these dogs, such as myself.

My Condition: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of rare inherited conditions that affect my connective tissue. Since connective tissue is found in the skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs, and bones, EDS can cause problems in these places.

Examples of issues I have due to EDS are:

  • hypermobile joints
  • frequent subluxations/dislocations
  • easy bruising/skin tearing
  • soft velvety skin that is stretchy
  • weak muscle tone
  • chronic migraines
  • chronic pain/fatigue
  • Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTs)
  • Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
  • and Gastroparesis to name a few.

What is EDS?

Play

you can find out more about EDS here:
https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/what-is-eds/

My Diagnosis Journey

I was officially diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome at 21, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t show signs my whole life. I had my first dislocation at 2 years old, which was the first of many. At 5, I had to go to a handwriting class because my fingers were hypermobile, which resulted in illegible handwriting. I started physical therapy and occupational therapy at 12 due to low muscle tone, even though I cheered and danced. I continued to have frequent subluxations/dislocations, sprains, constant bruising, GI issues, and migraines, which resulted in frequent doctor’s appointments to find the cause of these problems. I was told I was just clumsy for many years, then I was told it was anxiety and was prescribed antianxiety meds, but the issues didn’t stop.

In 2016, I moved to England to begin my undergraduate degree. Unfortunately, two years later, I ended up in the hospital for a week with a mystery diagnosis. I returned to the US to start the journey of looking for a diagnosis. After a year and five different doctors, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Current Health Management

Currently, I am seeing nine specialists to manage my overall health. I do bimonthly iron infusions, have a loop recorder to track my heart rate, use mobility devices or
braces/splints when needed, and manage a healthy diet that avoids any allergies or
trigger foods for my EoE or Gastroparesis, and more.

How a Service Dog Will Help

Even though my health is manageable right now, there are tasks I need help with from my family. They include: opening and closing doors, retrieving items, helping me up after a dizzy spell/passing out, and assisting with balance. At 28 years old, I want to have the freedom to go out on my own and not worry about whether I have a family member with me in case I come across a task I need assistance with. Fortunately, this is where the assistance of a service dog will help change that.

Donate