Fay Butler, 27, from Basingstoke, was an active teenager passionate about cheerleading. Then one day, she suddenly collapsed on the floor with no warning.
Fainting episodes and black-outs became frequent and she had to give up her role as leader of the cheer squad, because she couldn't even tie her own shoelaces.
The unexpected falls would lead to emergency hospital visits and life became "miserable and lonely".
That was until a golden four-legged friend came into her life, with a talent for sniffing out seizures.
Fay said: "I have the perfect dog by my side and my life has never been better. I wouldn't change a single thing."
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Fay was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) and gastroparesis, a long-term chronic stomach condition, as a teenager.
"I couldn't go out on my own. It felt like I was losing everything," Fay described.
"I lost confidence in life. I felt like I was missing out on normal everyday situations."
Fay had to spend six weeks in Southampton Hospital alone - but she never gave up hope entirely.
In 2018, she heard about Medical Detection Dogs and visited the centre for an initial meeting, where she came face-to-face with a Labrador retriever cross called Olive.
Instantly, there was a strong connection.
Medical alert dog Olive was able to detect when Fay was about to lose consciousness and warn her of the fall, so she could find a safe place on the floor.
"I remember how comfortable she made me feel. I had no anxiety about being out in public. This wave of relief came over me," Fay explained.
"We got back in the car and I cried on the way home from the centre because I was so overwhelmed with excitement and hope for the future."
The affects of Covid-19 put everything on hold, then in March 2021, everything began to fall into place.
Fay was partnered with Olive, by complete chance, and she changed her life overnight.
"She has this calming energy about her and just makes you feel relaxed in her presence," Fay explained.
"It feels as if Olive has always been with us, like she was the missing piece to a puzzle and now it’s complete."
Olive has a very high success alert rate which gives Fay up to five minutes before an episode.
When she comes around, Olive gets water for Fay and can pick up dropped items.
This means Olive no longer needs constant supervision at home or in public, and visits to A&E are thankfully a thing of the past.
"I can see a future for myself. I've made new friends and been able to experience new things," Fay said.
"I've never been happier. I can't wait for further adventures with Olive and to see where life takes us."
Do you have a dog story to sell? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
