Project 2 Heal
Joy’s Journey Toward More Independence—With Help from a Service Dog
Joy is a 5-year-old girl with Rett syndrome. Learn how a service dog could help her feel more calm, safe, and confident as she grows.
Living with Rett Syndrome
Rett syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that mostly affects girls. It causes problems with speech, hand use, balance, and movement.
Joy, who is five years old, cannot talk and has trouble using her hands. She also struggles with walking and staying balanced. Things that are easy for most families—like eating at a restaurant or going to the park—take a lot of planning for Joy’s family.
Seeing Possibility in the Challenge
Even with these challenges, Joy’s parents, Matt and Jodi, believe in a bright future for their daughter. They have a big dream: for Joy to have a specially trained service dog to help her feel more calm, more confident, and a little more independent.
“We hope the dog can be a loving partner that helps Joy feel more calm and gives her a bit more freedom,” Matt says.
“She’s five now and holds our hands,” Jodi adds, “but as she grows up, she’ll want more independence. A dog could give her space from us while still keeping her safe—just like other kids her age.”
Paws for a Child: A Campaign to Help Joy
This dream is the reason for our Paws for a Child campaign. Project 2 Heal is working to raise $30,000 to give Joy a trained service dog. This will be our first service dog placed with a child.
Joy’s dog will do more than just be a friend. It will help her in many ways, like:
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Calming her body with deep pressure
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Helping her stay steady when walking
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Interrupting repetitive movements
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Comforting her during stressful or loud moments
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Giving her confidence to be more independent
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about helping one little girl. It’s about helping more children like Joy have the tools they need to live their lives with more comfort and freedom.
At Project 2 Heal, we believe every child should feel safe, confident, and supported. Thanks to kind people like you, we can make that happen.
Be Part of Joy’s Story 💜
You can help write the next chapter of Joy’s story—and the story of many more children like her.
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