Meet the Scarpetta Family
“I’d never met Erin Scarpetta before despite her being the school nurse at my boys’ school for several years, but I’m sure glad I know her now! I recently came across a Facebook post on my neighborhood page where Erin was starting a fundraiser to purchase a seizure service dog for her daughter, Maggie. Not only was I intrigued, but I knew Cocktails & Caregivers could help. OurTribe grants are designed to cover childcare–who better to care for this little lady than a specially trained service pup?”
– Alex Umbach, VP of Cocktails & Caregivers
A Mom Knows Best
When Maggie was born in 2020, Erin said she immediately knew something was wrong. But the doctors couldn’t find anything. So began the journey for Erin and her husband, Nick, as they advocated for their daughter. Erin, a registered nurse with an obvious medical background, continued pushing for answers. After finding a provider who would perform tests over two years, they had their answer. Maggie had experienced a virus in-utero that caused severe developmental delays, visual and hearing impairments, she is non-verbal and has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Her most recent seizure lasted 67 minutes.
Erin and Nick’s days are hard. They can’t remember the last time they slept through the night. Watching their daughter endure these hardships is painful for every member of the family. But with this service dog coming to their family, there is something life-changing to look forward to.
Cocktails & Caregivers Helps Purchase the Paws
If you haven’t watched Dogs on Netflix, check out “The Kid with a Dog” to find out what awaits the Scarpetta family as they welcome this service pup into their home. 4 Paws For Ability will begin the training process for Maggie’s service dog, and it will take TWO YEARS! After this pup has completed training, the entire family (Erin, Nick, Maggie, and big sister Sammy) will head to the training facility to learn all the ways this dog will support Maggie. The process is long, but this pup can assist Maggie in so many ways, including detecting a seizure before it even happens.
Cocktails & Caregivers is providing a $2,000 grant to help bring this furry family member home to Maggie and the Scarpetta family.
