Kate Eifrig Needs Our Help
Kate has a condition called refractory/resistant major depression, complicated by severe anxiety. While most major depressive episodes last anywhere from two weeks to six months, Kate is now in her 4th year of an episode. After years of doctors, drugs and therapies that did little to help Kate's condition improve, she recently began seeing a new psychiatrist who asked if there had ever been anything that helped her depression. Kate hesitantly replied, "A dog," expecting the doctor to dismiss her. Instead, without even looking up from his notes he replied, "I've prescribed dogs for people."
Kate found
Heeling Allies, a Seattle-based non-profit organization that trains mental health service dogs for people across the country. She has been accepted into their program and for the first time in years has hope that she'll be able to return to a full, productive life with the assistance of a service dog.
A
Heeling Allies client described his experience this way: "Having tried every drug on the market with no success, leading me deeper and deeper and more dangerously into the darkest places that the path of mental illness can take. Someone mentioned the possibility of having a mental health service dog. That was the first time I showed any hope about living.... I love Henry. He keeps me away from the abyss.... He helps me so much. All I have to do is look at him and I'm back to a safe place and I know I can make it."
But like service dogs for any disability, the training of a mental health service dog is an expensive proposition - often costing as much as $20,000. Kate is currently unable to work and her years as a successful actor, while rewarding in many ways, have not left her in a position to take on the financial burden that is required. That's where we come in.
We're a small, but devoted, group of friends and colleagues who want to do everything we can to help. We've all known Kate for years and watched the devastation this illness has caused. We've seen Kate through the therapies, treatments and hospitalizations and believe that Heeling Allies can give Kate her life back.
Kate has already begun raising funds and has made her initial payment to begin the process. We want to help that momentum continue. We need to raise $3,000 a month from April through October in order to ensure that Kate gets the help she needs. Please join us!
Melodie Bahan
Michelle Hensley
Joel Liestman
Geanette Poole
Joel Sass
