Life for Daisy, now 23, was a long list of challenges. Suffering from PoTs,* there was no suitable medication to help her, and she had to give up work, then attending university, and even just going out of the house. ‘I was hardly moving from the sofa. I just went from bed to sofa and back again’, says Daisy.

Because Daisy was fainting frequently due to PoTs, whilst also suffering from other conditions which cause collapse and allergic reactions, she was no longer safe to be left at home alone. Her mother had to take a lot of time off work and the whole family was impacted.  Daisy often injured herself because her faints came without warning. She suffered burns, bruising, cuts and broken bones and at times had to be admitted to hospital.

Life was no more than a round of being at home, going to hospital and then back to home again.

Eventually following an idea from a GP that ‘it would be great if dogs could alert to PoTs’,  Daisy researched online and found MDD.
‘I really hoped a dog would be able to alert me to when I would faint’, says Daisy and this is exactly what her Medical Alert Assistance Dog, Jarvis, now does along with so much more. The pair share an exceptionally strong bond. Daisy describes him as an absolute superstar.  
‘He was trained to alert for PoTs but has taught himself to alert for a number of my other conditions. He does a different behaviour for each alert and stays with me throughout the episode. He can also get a bottle of water for me whilst I recover.

He takes his job very seriously. People stop us in shops to say how focused he is on me. He never takes his eyes off me’.

Jarvis a 3 year old red fox labrador, has his own canine support from Daisy’s other dog, Wilf a pet cocker spaniel/beagle cross. His playmate and best dog friend.

Having resumed her university studies online in Law, Daisy will be going back to university in person to take her Bar exams. ‘This is a huge thing for me. I am finally able to dream of a Law career again’.

Her’s and her family’s lives have reopened. “My family does not have to worry about me all the time, and can go to work normally and see friends. I have not had a single injury since having Jarvis and he has prevented serious allergic reactions by giving me time to take anti histamines or leave an unsafe environment.  He is a life saving superstar. He has made an enormous difference to my life and it’s hard to find the words to convey how incredible he is. I am so excited for all the things we’ll be able to do together’.

*PoTs  - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome