Alex and Lucy.
Donation protected
Hey everyone. I want to share a story with you. A lot of you may know that Yellowcard has always had a close connection with Type 1 Diabetes, and has even worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the past. In 2001 we lost a dear friend to Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. On April 15, 2011, this disease hit very close to home.
My cousin, Alexandra (Alex) Speir was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes that day. She was 10 years old. This year marked her 5 year anniversary and let me tell you, this kid will amaze you. She has been so strong and positive in the face of this terrible situation. Living with Type 1 is a constant fight. I can't imagine having all of the things that come along with it on my plate while trying to just be a normal kid, much less be the constant light that Alex has been through it all. Let me tell you a little about her condition and why I am launching this gofundme page on her behalf.
According to Mayo Clinic, "The exact cause of Type 1 Diabetes is unknown. In most people with Type 1 Diabetes, the body's own immune system - which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses - mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas." A normal healthy range for a person's blood sugar is 75-120. Alex is still an incredibly active kid who loves sports and being outside. Unfortunately these are the kind of activities that can cause her blood sugar to drop to dangerously low levels. As she has gotten older she has been less able to detect on her own when her levels are dropping. In fact for a long time now her family has had to help with glucose (blood sugar) checks in the middle of the night. Remember when I mentioned a healthy level is 75-120? Alex has registered as low as 30 some nights. Had they not checked her in the middle of the night she may not have woken up in the morning. Well there is finally some good news. Meet, Lucy!
Lucy is a Diabetic Alert Dog (D.A.D.). She is a 2 year old AKC registered British Labrador who has been training since she was only 8 weeks old. Lucy has an incredible ability. She can detect on her own when Alex's blood sugar starts to drop or rise to unsafe levels. She is trained to alert Alex immediately when this happens. It's amazing! She spends a lot of time with Alex already and will be ready to come home and live with her full time in about 4-6 months after she completes her training for obedience and public access. Until then Alex is working with Lucy and her certified trainer to train Lucy to know Alex as "her person".
Because of her breed, ability, and the long training process that is required, as well as the ongoing communication with the trainer after Lucy comes to live with Alex, her purchase price is $20,000. That's why I wanted to start this page.
My Aunt and Uncle are two of the most amazing people I have ever known, and obviously they would do anything for their children. With the mountain of already exsisting medical costs associated with Type 1, this is a lot to throw on the pile. Because of my personal experience with Type 1, and because my family is everything to me, I wanted to do something to help.
Any small donation to the "Lucy Fund" you can make will go towards providing an unbelievable asset to Alex. Lucy will be with her 24/7 at school, during sports and extra curricular activities, traveling, and sleeping right by her side.
There are some awesome pictures of Alex and Lucy you can see, as well as a video Alex made to share her story. Thank you for taking the time to read through this, and thank you for helping in the fight against Type 1 Diabetes.
-Ryan Key
My cousin, Alexandra (Alex) Speir was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes that day. She was 10 years old. This year marked her 5 year anniversary and let me tell you, this kid will amaze you. She has been so strong and positive in the face of this terrible situation. Living with Type 1 is a constant fight. I can't imagine having all of the things that come along with it on my plate while trying to just be a normal kid, much less be the constant light that Alex has been through it all. Let me tell you a little about her condition and why I am launching this gofundme page on her behalf.
According to Mayo Clinic, "The exact cause of Type 1 Diabetes is unknown. In most people with Type 1 Diabetes, the body's own immune system - which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses - mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas." A normal healthy range for a person's blood sugar is 75-120. Alex is still an incredibly active kid who loves sports and being outside. Unfortunately these are the kind of activities that can cause her blood sugar to drop to dangerously low levels. As she has gotten older she has been less able to detect on her own when her levels are dropping. In fact for a long time now her family has had to help with glucose (blood sugar) checks in the middle of the night. Remember when I mentioned a healthy level is 75-120? Alex has registered as low as 30 some nights. Had they not checked her in the middle of the night she may not have woken up in the morning. Well there is finally some good news. Meet, Lucy!
Lucy is a Diabetic Alert Dog (D.A.D.). She is a 2 year old AKC registered British Labrador who has been training since she was only 8 weeks old. Lucy has an incredible ability. She can detect on her own when Alex's blood sugar starts to drop or rise to unsafe levels. She is trained to alert Alex immediately when this happens. It's amazing! She spends a lot of time with Alex already and will be ready to come home and live with her full time in about 4-6 months after she completes her training for obedience and public access. Until then Alex is working with Lucy and her certified trainer to train Lucy to know Alex as "her person".
Because of her breed, ability, and the long training process that is required, as well as the ongoing communication with the trainer after Lucy comes to live with Alex, her purchase price is $20,000. That's why I wanted to start this page.
My Aunt and Uncle are two of the most amazing people I have ever known, and obviously they would do anything for their children. With the mountain of already exsisting medical costs associated with Type 1, this is a lot to throw on the pile. Because of my personal experience with Type 1, and because my family is everything to me, I wanted to do something to help.
Any small donation to the "Lucy Fund" you can make will go towards providing an unbelievable asset to Alex. Lucy will be with her 24/7 at school, during sports and extra curricular activities, traveling, and sleeping right by her side.
There are some awesome pictures of Alex and Lucy you can see, as well as a video Alex made to share her story. Thank you for taking the time to read through this, and thank you for helping in the fight against Type 1 Diabetes.
-Ryan Key
Organizer
Christine Hall Speir
Organizer
Dahlonega, GA
