Meet Baloo

What's up dog?

Baloo is my seizure alert assistance dog. Baloo was trained by the amazing team at Dogs for Life - previously CSTDA . I have been with Baloo for 6 years. She barks 3 to 5 minutes before an oncoming seizure by smelling the chemical changes that happen in the body prior to a seizure. As I have refractory epilepsy (uncontrolled daily seizures for over 11 years) she has made a huge difference to not only my life but my parents and brothers life. Prior to Baloo I could not be in a room by myself... imagine that being an adult and never being able to be by yourself. I also have many injuries and ER visits from falls.
With Baloo I now can be in my room by myself, have a shower without someone right outside the door, have some of my independence back! It also gives my parents and brother so much more peace of mind and help, and prevents so many injuries and falls by allowing me time to sit down prior.
Without Baloo I actually would not be writing this right now. I have required CPR a number of times after seizures, if Baloo didn't alert my parents, brother, or carers by barking, they would not have been able come to my assistance and perform CPR.

For the first two years of Baloos life while she was training she was a therapy dog at a special education school. She provided the children with a calming presence and also help to teach them responsibility of looking of after a dog.

Baloo has been on tv, papers, radio shows and magazines where we have raised much needed awareness of medical alert dogs.
Baloo turns 8 this year and I truly believe my beautiful, smart, best friend embodies all the qualities to be named Oz Top Dog.
I think Baloo also provides hope to so many others suffering refractory epilepsy, there is no other medical device that can detect a seizure prior. There could be so many lives saved if others knew of pre alert seizure assistance dogs.

How is this award decided?