Help Zoe Get Her Life Back

Story

My daughter, Zoe, has lived with disabilities for most of her life. As her mother, I’ve always done everything I can to keep her safe, supported, and surrounded by love. But now, I’m reaching out for help with something I can’t do alone.

Zoe lives with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which causes her to faint or become dizzy when she stands. She also has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a connective tissue disorder that leads to frequent injuries and chronic joint pain. She experiences widespread pain from Fibromyalgia, unpredictable allergic reactions from Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and she manages iron-deficiency anemia, requiring regular iron infusions.

For years, Zoe has dreamed of having a medical-alert service dog, not just for comfort, but for safety, stability, and independence. Until recently, she’s always had close friends and family nearby. She wakes up each day feeling exhausted, in pain, and unsure how her body will respond. Something as simple as getting out of bed or standing in line can result in fainting, injury, or a trip to the ER. You can imagine my fear when I would get calls from the school nurse saying Zoe needed to go to the hospital, or texts from her coach telling me she had fainted at practice and I needed to come pick her up. That was our reality, living on edge, always prepared for the next emergency.

Now, she’s taken a courageous step: moving to Canada to attend university. She’s chasing her dreams and building a future, and while I’m so proud, I’m also deeply worried. She’s in another country now, far from home, and managing her health alone.

A service dog would change everything. It would be Zoe’s constant companion, her silent guardian, her lifeline in moments of crisis. More than anything, it would allow her to live the independent, fulfilling life she deserves, with safety, dignity, and hope.

Please, if you can, consider supporting Zoe’s journey. Every donation, every share, brings us closer to giving her the security and freedom she’s worked so hard for. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Zoe’s Story

Hi! My name is Zoe, I’m 19 years old, originally from Washington, D.C., and currently attending the University of British Columbia in Canada.

Moving to British Columbia with my boyfriend, Ari, was a huge leap toward independence and a better future. But I’m facing that future with a constant companion I never asked for: a series of complex, debilitating medical conditions that have impacted nearly every part of my life for the past eight years.

My journey began suddenly, during winter break in 2016. I was just 11, healthy, active, and full of energy, when I was rushed to the ER with a heart rate stuck at 170 BPM. By the time I arrived, it had climbed to 250. I’ll never forget the panic in the room. Doctors and nurses moved quickly, stripping me out of my pajamas, inserting two large IVs, and giving me a drug that literally stopped my heart for a second to bring it back to normal. I didn’t know it then, but I was experiencing an SVT attack caused by a rare condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

I underwent heart surgery in 2017 and hoped it would be the end of my story. But just a few months later, the symptoms returned, this time as something called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), which causes dizziness, fainting, and extreme fatigue. Since then, more diagnoses have followed, more treatments, and more days lost to pain and fear. Medications haven’t helped, and there’s no cure.

Now, at 19, I’m doing everything I can to build a life despite the limitations my body places on me. On average, I faint two to three times a day. I’ve had to leave work and go to the ER due to dangerously fast heart rates. I miss classes, I miss opportunities, and worst of all, I miss feeling in control of my life.

Ari has been my rock. He helps me dress, catches me when I faint, and rushes to the store for supplies when my body crashes. I’m so grateful for him, but I don’t want to rely on anyone for every step I take. I want to live a full, independent life without fear. That’s why I’m asking for your help.

A medical-alert service dog would change everything. These incredible animals are trained to detect the warning signs of episodes before they happen, giving me time to sit down, hydrate, or get help. With a service dog by my side, I could attend school, go to work, and chase my dream of becoming a pediatric nurse, a way to give back after all the care I’ve received.

Unfortunately, service dogs are incredibly expensive, and insurance doesn’t cover them. My family does all they can; my mom is a public school teacher who works tirelessly for others, and my dad stays home to help care for me and my siblings. They’ve always put our needs first, and now I’m asking for a little help, too.

If you’ve taken the time to read my story, thank you. If you’re able to donate, share, or simply send your support, you’re helping me take one step closer to safety, independence, and a future I can look forward to. I’m incredibly grateful for your support! Your donations will go directly toward giving my dog a loving home. They’ll help cover her down payment and ongoing monthly expenses. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey

With love and gratitude,
Zoe

Living with Disability

In my story, I’ve shared a few of the health conditions that have made everyday life more difficult — but that’s only part of what I face. In addition to asthma, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW), and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), I also live with several other chronic and disabling conditions.

I have Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a genetic connective tissue disorder that causes frequent joint dislocations, chronic pain, and injuries from even minor movements. Because of hEDS, I’ve been suffering from a severe ankle sprain for over nine months, and it still hasn’t healed, simply because my body struggles to recover.

I also have Fibromyalgia, which causes constant, widespread muscle and soft tissue pain. It feels like my entire body is inflamed daily. Though I take medication to manage the symptoms, the pain never fully goes away. I’ve just had to learn to live with it.

On top of that, I’ve been diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). This condition causes my immune system to overreact and release too many chemicals, leading to unpredictable allergic reactions, even to things I’ve never been allergic to before. My most recent reaction? The cold weather. Something as simple as going outside can suddenly become challenging.

Lastly, I have iron-deficiency anemia, a more common condition, but one that makes everything else harder. Because my blood doesn’t carry enough iron, it worsens the fatigue, dizziness, and weakness caused by my other conditions. I receive iron infusions every six months to try to stay stable.

Each one of these conditions creates its own set of challenges, but together, they’ve taken a serious toll on my ability to live independently. I’m doing everything I can to move forward, but I need a little extra support. That’s why a medical-alert service dog would make such a huge difference in my life.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about what I live with. Every bit of understanding and support brings me one step closer to a safer, fuller life.

My Day-to-Day Life

Most mornings, I wake up already exhausted. My body feels heavy, my head is foggy, and even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Something as small as bending down to put on my socks can make me dizzy. Just standing up after lying down all night can cause me to faint.

If I stand for too long, my legs throb with pain, and I get lightheaded because the blood pools in my feet instead of circulating properly. I can’t regulate my body temperature, so I overheat easily, making things I used to love, like hiking or bike riding, almost impossible.

Physical activity is risky for me. If my heart rate climbs too high, there’s a real danger it could trigger another SVT attack. So I’m constantly having to choose between living cautiously or facing a medical emergency.

Think of the last time you were sick. Maybe you had chills, a pounding headache, or felt lightheaded and too exhausted to move. Maybe you couldn’t eat because you were nauseous and dehydrated. That’s how I feel almost every single day… and often worse.

A service dog won’t cure me. But it will give me something I haven’t felt in a long time: peace of mind. It will help me feel human again. With a dog by my side trained to detect and respond to my symptoms, I’ll be able to enjoy the things I love without living in constant fear of my own body.

Your support means the world to me, because it brings me closer to living a life with more safety, more independence, and a little more joy.

Why I Need Help Funding

Like most insurance plans, mine doesn’t cover the cost of a medical-alert service dog. And in the U.S., there are very few resources available outside of crowdfunding to help people like me afford one, even though a service dog can be truly life-changing.

Before I became a university student, I grew up in a low-income household. My family still lives in the same home my dad grew up in. It’s old and dusty, but it’s where we’ve made memories. My mom is a public school teacher and the primary breadwinner in our family. About a year and a half ago, she became critically ill and was placed on a ventilator in the ICU. For a while, we weren’t sure she would make it.

Thankfully, she pulled through, but her recovery was long. She had to move in with my aunt for several months afterward because our home had too many stairs, so it just wasn’t safe for her to return to. That time away from work set us back financially in a big way. And while my mom continues to work incredibly hard to support us, the weight of medical bills, household expenses, and now my service dog is a lot for her to carry alone.

My dad has had long COVID for over two and a half years. He tries to support our family with a small secondhand online business, but he’s limited by his health. He can’t drive anymore, and he can’t work like he used to. And as much as I want to work and contribute, my disabilities make it difficult for me to hold down consistent hours.

It’s not easy for me to ask for help, but I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s okay to lean on others. This service dog could give me back some of the independence and safety that my disabilities have taken from me. I just need a little extra help to get there.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering supporting me on this journey. Every donation, share, and kind word brings me one step closer to a better, safer, and fuller life.

Thank You from the Bottom of Our Hearts

We are so deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us through donations, kind words, shares, or simply by reading Zoe’s story. This journey hasn’t been easy, but your generosity is helping bring safety, independence, and hope back into Zoe’s life. Every single contribution brings her closer to the service dog that will give her the freedom to live without constant fear. From both of us, thank you for believing in Zoe and for being part of this with us. If you have any questions or concerns, we would be more than happy to answer them. Your kindness truly means the world.

With love and thanks,
Zoe & Family

Organizers :

Heather Kuduk-Hsu is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Zoe Hsu.