Dedham Mom Raises Funds, Awareness For Service Dog For Daughter

DEDHAM, MA - Dedham 12-year-old Jaella DaSuta has been battling serious health conditions since she was two days old, when she was diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism after being born prematurely. After years of doctors’ appointments and consultations with neurologists and geneticists, she was later diagnosed with a rare disease called spinocerebellar ataxia types 15 and 29, as well as two gene deletions.

Her mother, Jennifer Kerivan, has been determined to find the most effective methods to help her daughter live her life to the fullest despite coping with an intellectual disability and the low muscle mass and fatigue that affect her balance. One way would be a specially trained service dog through an Ohio-based nonprofit that breeds and trains support dogs specifically to assist people with disabilities and veterans.

4 Paws for Ability has a staff of 75 and volunteers who have bred and trained more than 1,500 service dog teams, according to its website. The dogs are educated on performing specific tasks to help each recipient with individual challenges.

Now that DaSuta has been accepted to receive a support dog from the organization, Kerivan is appealing for the community’s help to share in her portion of the cost of the support dog, which amounts to $17,000.

“It costs 4 Paws for ability between $40,000 and $60,000 to raise, train and place a service dog,” Kerivan explained. “We are responsible for $17,000 of that cost.”

She added that 4 Paws for Ability was featured on the Netflix documentary series “Dogs,” which premiered in 2018. A trailer for the show can be seen here.

In a recent interview with Patch, Kerivan described DaSuta as “sweet and vibrant with an infectious laugh.” Despite her challenges, DaSuta loves to dance, sing, and participate in therapeutic horseback riding.

“She loves riding the horses,” she said. “In fact, it is the only time she does not have hand tremors. It has been an amazing experience.

“The therapeutic horseback riding is not covered by insurance, but it is a form of her therapy. Kerivan said. "It helps her with her balance issues and improves her mood.

“It wasn’t something we ever thought she would do,” she continued. “At first she was nervous and skittish. Now, she feeds, washes, and puts a saddle on a horse herself. She even rides a pony out to the car sometimes.”

Kervian said that the dog specifically trained for DaSuta will assist her with balance issues as well as issues with behavioral disruption.

“The dog will be trained to give her compression hugs, which will help put her at ease,” Kervian said.

DaSuta can be triggered by loud noise and crowds, her mother said.

“Anything can trigger her, really,” added. “I tried to take her out to look at the Christmas lights. She just buried her face in my chest and froze.”

Kerivan describes her experience as “quite the journey” in advocating for the best way to care for DaSuta, whom she is living without a thyroid. She previously went to the Riverdale Elementary School. She later received an out of district placement and now attends the LABB collaborative program at the Chenery Middle School in Belmont.

“I am constantly doing a lot of research on the best ways to help Jaella as well as caring for her,” she explained. “There are not a lot of things available to help children with such a rare condition unless you really do the research and advocate for them.”

For instance, Kerivan tried swimming lessons for DaSuta at the Dedham Health & Athletic Complex to help with her coordination. But she said DaSuta needed more one-on-one attention than the facility could provide.

Kerivan said that she is approaching the public in this manner for help because of an unfortunate incident about a fundraiser for DaSuta.

“Someone took my picture from Instagram and put it on a Facebook page,” she said, her voice beginning to break. “They hacked my page on November 22, 2021 and began asking for money. They even began messaging my kids. I am really upset that someone was trying to benefit off of a child like that.”

She added that the alleged hacker was asking for Amazon gift cards.

The true fundraiser for the service dog has been arranged by 4 Paws for Ability, and all donations will go directly to the nonprofit as payment. To donate, go to this link. Checks can be sent to: 4 Paws for Ability, 207 Dayton Ave., Xenia, OH 45385. On the memo line, write Jaella DaSuta.

Advocating for a service dog was not an easy process, and Kerivan said she is excited that her daughter was accepted into the program.

“You have to fill out a ton of medical forms, and there is an application fee,” Kerivan said, noting she worked with DaSuta’s medical team.

She added that she is grateful for any help she and her daughter can receive for DaSuta’s future furry companion.

In an interview with Patch on Monday, Kelly Camm, the development director for 4 Paws for Ability, said that the family applied for a service dog in November. However, because of the high demand for service dogs, the earliest DaSuta would be able to receive a service dog is 2024 because of the pandemic.

"They have kind of been doing their own thing with fundraising and using social media and have done very well," she said. "But there have been an unprecedented number of cancelations because of COVID-19. We have to push those to the head to the list."

She added that about 40 percent of the dogs bred by the nonprofit are qualified to become service dogs. There are currently about 500 dogs at the training facility, and Camm said "there has been an unbelievable demand for service dogs."

"Dogs have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses," she explained. "Some could be scared by motorcycles or bark every time they hear a doorbell, which we call a suspicion factor. They wouldn't be suitable as service dogs because they want a more relaxed life."

After an initial fee, there is an application process where a doctor has to confirm the need for a support dog. Two people must provide references, which leads to a phone interview.

Once a family has gone through a training program, someone has to send a video of the person's interaction with the dog and the therapy provided.

"In Jaella's case, touch, kisses and having the dog's head in her lap can help redirect her attention away from a situation that bothers her," Camm explained. "Kids sort of get on a loop where they have a meltdown and need some comfort and distraction. So a dog can come over with a tennis ball or provide comfort."

Camm said she has seen support dogs be extremely helpful now as young children have been receiving COVID-19 vaccines.

"No one likes needles," she said. "It can be helpful even for a dog to put its head on a child's lap."

For balance issues, a dog will be placed in a harness to assist a client with walking.

"This can give Jaella a little more independence rather than having her parents help her balance," said Camm.

The biggest demand is for dogs to help people on the autism spectrum, with seizure disorders, and with mobility issues, Camm explained.

"Some agencies rate applicants based in what they consider how dangerous the disability is," she said. "Someone who can have life-threatening seizures would get priority. Here, we take applicants in order."

Since the Nexflix series, the popularity of 4 Paws for Ability has skyrocketed, she noted.

"We just don't want people to think that, when they give a donation, a dog will be coming immediately," she added.

For more information about this nonprofit, go to the website.