Brenda Eccles has been dealt hardships throughout her life, but that hasn’t stopped her from being happy.

Eccles was born with hip dysphasia, a disintegrating hip bone, club foot and elbow issues.

She’s had many surgeries throughout her life to help her situation. She has also suffered from hearing loss and requires two hearing aids.

She has survived through three different cancers since the age of 16, including Lymphocyte Leukemia and Endometrial cancer.

The intensive treatments she endured caused comprehension issues, but that still has failed to slow Eccles down.

Her husband of 17 years, John, has been working many hours to provide for them and does not like to leave her alone, especially due to her hearing loss and balancing issues from a hip replacement surgery.

“His fear is that she might fall with no one there to help,” said Eccles’s sister, Rita Salazar. “We’re afraid that she won’t be able to hear smoke detectors, doorbells, telephones or people speaking when she doesn’t have her hearing aids in.”

It was then that Eccles had a strong desire to get a service dog.

“When we mentioned the possibility, she lit right up because she didn’t think it was possible,” Salazar said.

In order to help pay for it, Salazar has organized three fundraisers and is setting up one more.

The First Church of God, located on Falconer Street in Jamestown, is holding a Flea Market on Aug. 9 and 10 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Eccles will have a table at the event, selling her plastic needle works and her sister’s handmade bead bracelets.

“Anyone is invited to set up a table,” said mutual friend Ellen Beck. “Ten percent of the proceeds go to the church and Brenda. It’s free to go to, and there are many different tables to look at. Just be sure to drop by Brenda’s table when you go.”

“We’ve come a long way, but we still need $16,000 to help pay for everything,” Salazar said.

The New Hope Assistance Dogs Inc. in Warren, Pa., is where Eccles’s new friend is from, having just arrived a few days ago. They specially train dogs to suit what a person needs.

In Eccles’s case, the dog will be a hearing assistant and help with her balance issues. Eccles and her new friend, a golden retriever named Victory, are already getting along like two peas in a pod, and starting to learn so much about each other.

“We were surprised when we went to go see Victory and they told us we could take him home with her,” Salazar said. “Brenda and Victory are supposed to work with each other one-on-one for three weeks, then the trainers will help them further.”

For those wishing to donate directly, Eccles has her own GoFundMe page. For more information, go to gofundme.com, or donate directly to 9 Summit Ave, Jamestown New York. All proceeds go into payments for Eccles to keep her new friend.