For some, a hearing disability is insurmountable to deal with on a daily basis, but not for one Mid-Prairie student. Junior Laela Waddell is raising funds for a hearing service dog to improve her independence before going to college and is asking for the community’s help. Waddell suffers from three different congenital issues, with the biggest issue being bilateral microtia. This health issue brings the closure or absence of the external ear canal, which makes hearing difficult. With the help of hearing aids, she is able to hear during the day, but at night, when she takes them out, she needs that extra companion to help her wake up in case of an emergency. A service dog could do just that. She told KCII News some advice for those going through an extraordinary health issue like hers, “Growing up with this disability, it’s definitely had some setbacks, but I’d say not to give up and keep on going with what you love.”

A GoFundMe page was started by Pat Dessner, a family friend, to raise funds for a service dog. The most recent update on the page announced Laela’s puppy will be purchased on February 4th, and the next day the puppy, a Labrador Retriever, will start training through Click for Canines Positive Training LLC in Montezuma, Iowa. The total cost for the dog and training is $12,000 and as of January 15th $1,010 had been raised. Find more information on how to give to this cause by clicking here.