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Hello everyone! My name is Amy and before I move into my story, I’d first just like to thank you for  taking the time out of your day to spend a little of it with me.

Although growing up in Prince Edward County, I moved to Northwestern Ontario to work as a  paramedic in my early 30’s. Unfortunately, early on in my career, I suffered a PTSD (Post-Traumatic  Stress Disorder) Injury from a workplace incident. A patient threatened my life with a knife and then a  gun, and I will never forget what it feels like to look down the barrel from the opposite direction and  wonder if this will be the last moment. Fortunately, I was not physically injured that day as the gun  misfired, but I was left with psychological wounds that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, this was not to be the end of my traumatic experiences. I was involved in a car accident  in 2016, which left me with Post-Concussion Syndrome. I spent three months in the hospital and lost  my short term memory for almost two years. I couldn’t form complete sentences or even count because  my memory was so bad. The pain and nausea was almost unbearable despite medication and  light/sound sensitivities that kept me isolated in the dark for many months afterwards. If it wasn’t for my  mom leaving her home/husband/business etc. and moving across the province to live with and support  me during my recovery, I would not be here telling you this story. Aren’t moms amazing? It is true that  time heals, and I’ve worked very hard to regain a lot of what I lost from the accident. Even though many  years have passed and my recovery has made great gains, it is still a daily struggle. I find though that  when life gives you lemons, you have to make lemonade.

Despite living with daily physical and psychological pain, I have been given some remarkable gifts and  that’s what I choose to focus on (and I hope you do too). That’s the sugar that makes lemonade/life  sweet. The first are my family and friends to whom without I would not be here today. Your support  means more to me than you will ever know … THANK YOU! Music has always brought so much joy  into my life, and although I can’t play my fiddle anymore because of my injuries, I enjoy listening to  Natalie MacMaster rip off a good tune every now and then. Sports have always been a part of my life,  and although hockey is no longer an option, skating still is, and is something I attempt at every chance I  get. Even the gift of being in nature always brings me back to centre when I need to find myself again. What an amazing world we live in!

When I applied to Kingston 4 Paws for a PTSD service dog in January of 2022, I had no idea just how  much this organization was about to change my life. During my home visit I was told that I was going to  learn very quickly that this was a family and not just a foundation. At the time, I have to admit, I was  skeptical. From meeting the trainers and seeing their dedication, to all of the volunteer staff that keep  this group moving forward, and to hearing the stories of others who suffer from disabilities and how  their lives have been changed (more like given back to them) by the presence of their service dog, my  skepticism was completely replaced with awe and amazement. I have never encountered such a  generous group of people that share so much of their time and love to give people with disabilities an  opportunity to experience the support of a service dog. In October of 2023, Bill came into my life and  has never left my side. I can do things now that I thought I would never do again. I feel alive again and  that is something that I never realized I had lost until Bill gave it back to me. I have the confidence now  to tackle all of life’s challenges thanks to these people. You are all truly a blessing!

So I guess the question is … why support Kingston 4 Paws and my team? Basically, it comes down to  generosity and compassion. Because there is no government funding for service dogs in Canada, we cannot do this without you. We need you! Bill has change my life in ways I cannot even explain, and I  hope that by giving to this wonderful organization, it may change your life in some way too. You never  know … someday you might even join K4Paws and be a puppy raiser. Here’s to dreaming! In any case,  thank you for your time and contribution to my journey.