Sally Whitney was struck down by a mysterious illness at the age of 17, and has been in and out of hospital and intensive care ever since.

But an assistance dog, Ethan, is enabling her to regain some of her independence, and is able to alert her carer when she is about to have a seizure.

The charity Canine Partners, which trained Ethan, says requests for dogs have risen sharply in recent years.

The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.