Brittany’s home is in North Carolina and she is attending graduate school in Potsdam, NY to be an Occupational Therapist. She was a normal, active teenager that played softball, and did competitive gymnastics until the age of 16 when she developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) currently called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This condition is when the nerves go haywire and send constant pain messages to the brain, usually caused by an injury, although she never had an injury. RSD causes a range of problems ranging from color and temp changes to muscle problems, like dystonia, to psychological problems such as depression. Brittany has weakness in every limb due to the pain, and she is unable to feel certain sensations in her hands, like hot versus cold or sharp versus dull. Dystonia affects her left leg, so she is unable to walk. She uses a wheelchair and crutches on a daily basis. She has seen several doctors in many states and they all have given up on finding a treatment that is successful.
In March 2016 Brittany met GRIFFIN!! GRIFFIN has helped Brittany gain more independence as she goes to school so far from home by helping her with mobility, retrieving items, and even carrying items for her. GRIFFIN also helps her with the social isolation she sometimes feels due to her disability. He will not give up on her!
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