KTLA

Friends Raise Money for Service Animal After O.C. Teen Diagnosed With Epilepsy

Katie Dawson, 15, was diagnosed with epilepsy just five years ago and she is unable to live life like how she wants. But now, thanks to a kind gesture from a friend, she’s on her way to getting a chance to make her life a little easier thanks to some friends.

Gabriella “Gigi” Coo, 13, has started a GoFundMe account to help raise funds to help Dawson get her own service animal so she can live life like a regular teen.

Dawson’s doctor suggested the family should get her a seizure alert dog that could help alert her when she could be experiencing an oncoming epileptic seizure.

The dog and subsequent training costs $40,000. Dawson has been out of school since Oct. 2019 and says her life, as well as her mother’s, would be much easier with a service animal by her side.

To donate,  visit Dawson’s GoFundMe page.

Kacey Montoya reports for KTLA 5 News on Jan. 13, 2020.

33.717471-117.831143