Living with epilepsy means learning to navigate a lot of uncertainty. Seizures can happen without much warning, and they can affect everyday things most people never have to think twice about, like working, being alone, or simply feeling safe going about your day.

After experiencing continued seizures, I made the decision to pursue a professionally trained seizure-response service dog. This dog will be trained to assist me during and after seizures by performing tasks such as responding if I fall or become unresponsive, getting help when needed, retrieving important items, and providing support as I recover.

But professionally training a service dog is expensive. The cost of purchasing the right puppy, evaluating them for service work, and completing specialized training adds up to thousands of dollars.

That's why I created The Purple Paw Project.

This collection combines two things that have become incredibly important to me: epilepsy awareness and the journey toward greater independence and safety with a service dog.

Every shirt was designed to be something you can genuinely enjoy wearing, not just during Epilepsy Awareness Month, but throughout the year. Some designs feature the purple epilepsy-awareness ribbon, some incorporate dogs, and others simply represent the message of greater understanding for people living with epilepsy.

Proceeds from purchases through this campaign will go toward the costs associated with obtaining and professionally training my seizure-response service dog.

When you purchase a shirt, you're doing more than helping me reach that goal. You're also helping put epilepsy awareness into everyday spaces. Someone may recognize the purple ribbon. Someone may ask what it means. Someone living with epilepsy may see it and realize another person understands.

My hope for this collection is simple: more awareness, more understanding, and eventually, four paws beside me to help me navigate life more safely.

Thank you for supporting The Purple Paw Project, whether that's by purchasing a shirt, sharing the campaign, or simply learning a little more about epilepsy. It genuinely means more than you know. ??