Debby's T1D Clinical Trials Expense
Donation protected
On April Fool's Day, 2010, I was diagnosed with the rarer type of Type 1 Diabetes, as Type 1.5 LADA, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. Imagine nearly a 600 blood sugar reading during a routine physical exam, which landed me in the hospital for 5 days, just to get my blood sugar below 200 so I could be discharged. My mind was reeling (and still is) over HOW I come to be a diabetic in my 50's?
Fast forward 6 years, and tons of research towards a cure. I recently turned down a potential opportunity for a islet cell transplant, at City of Hope, CA. The transplant may have cured me of T1 Diabetes, but the travel expenses for the MANY follow up visits were more money than I could ever manage!
Prior to that opportunity I found information on Dr. Faustman's BCG Clinical Trials, at Mass General Hospital, in Boston, and hung on to the possibility that I would fit the criteria and be accepted into her trials, that I believe WILL lead to a cure! With the help of a dear friend, I boarded a flight to Boston, gave my blood, and waited nearly 2 years for the trials to begin, and learn that I WAS in fact eligible for trials! And they had funding to pay for our flights, and hotel stay for each of our 24 visits, over 5 years.
As elated as I am to be included, the out of pocket expenses are far more than I can afford, and have gone onto a credit card. Since I rely on very limited income, I am asking for help to meet these costs.
Some of the expenses I have paid, and will pay; are meals, airport transportation, airport parking, taxi, subway, shuttles from Boston airport to the Lab where the trials are conducted. I am also struggling to pay for supplies for a Dexcom CGM, which monitors my blood sugar 24/7, making it possible for me to be stable. I have hyper AND hypo unawareness, not feeling symptoms of high OR low blood sugar, getting dangerously low at times! But the Dexcom has saved me so many times! Some gracious people have also helped me with donations of supplies for the Dexcom, which can range around $350 per month! If you are passionate about a CURE for type 1 Diabetes (the childhood type) and like me, HOPE to find a cure, please consider contributing to my fund to help me stay in these trails-where I am giving 5 years of my life for. I can't express how thankful I will be, as my heart is already FULL of grattitude for all the assistance I have already been gifted! But there is a lot more to come. Thank you for reading my story, please feel free to send others to my page. Thanks!
Fast forward 6 years, and tons of research towards a cure. I recently turned down a potential opportunity for a islet cell transplant, at City of Hope, CA. The transplant may have cured me of T1 Diabetes, but the travel expenses for the MANY follow up visits were more money than I could ever manage!
Prior to that opportunity I found information on Dr. Faustman's BCG Clinical Trials, at Mass General Hospital, in Boston, and hung on to the possibility that I would fit the criteria and be accepted into her trials, that I believe WILL lead to a cure! With the help of a dear friend, I boarded a flight to Boston, gave my blood, and waited nearly 2 years for the trials to begin, and learn that I WAS in fact eligible for trials! And they had funding to pay for our flights, and hotel stay for each of our 24 visits, over 5 years.
As elated as I am to be included, the out of pocket expenses are far more than I can afford, and have gone onto a credit card. Since I rely on very limited income, I am asking for help to meet these costs.
Some of the expenses I have paid, and will pay; are meals, airport transportation, airport parking, taxi, subway, shuttles from Boston airport to the Lab where the trials are conducted. I am also struggling to pay for supplies for a Dexcom CGM, which monitors my blood sugar 24/7, making it possible for me to be stable. I have hyper AND hypo unawareness, not feeling symptoms of high OR low blood sugar, getting dangerously low at times! But the Dexcom has saved me so many times! Some gracious people have also helped me with donations of supplies for the Dexcom, which can range around $350 per month! If you are passionate about a CURE for type 1 Diabetes (the childhood type) and like me, HOPE to find a cure, please consider contributing to my fund to help me stay in these trails-where I am giving 5 years of my life for. I can't express how thankful I will be, as my heart is already FULL of grattitude for all the assistance I have already been gifted! But there is a lot more to come. Thank you for reading my story, please feel free to send others to my page. Thanks!
Organizer
Debby Tourville
Organizer
Grantville, GA
