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My name is Tristan White. I am six years old and I have Type 1 (Childhood) Diabetes. I love toy trucks and riding my bike. I have to take time out from playing to test my blood sugar levels by poking my finger to get the drops of blood. I get shots of insulin after every meal and before I go to bed just to get through the day. It's a lot of work for me and my family and the school nurse. I want to get a Diabetes Dog, one who is trained to help me when my blood sugar levels get too high or too low to keep me safe. Here is more information from my auntie:
Tristan was born a strong and healthy little boy. A year and a half ago his pancreas stopped producing insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. It can happen to anyone at any time. Doctors believe that the immune system can attack the cells in the pancreas that make insulin and once they are destroyed, they cannot come back. This is not something that diet or exercise can cure. It is not because he eats too much sugar. Almost all foods have carbohydrates which turn to sugar in the blood. His blood sugar levels have to be monitored and managed all day and night. There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Tristan will live with this disease for the rest of his life.
When Tristan's body first started showing signs of shutting down from his glucose levels being too high, he was taken from our local hospital in Paradise, CA to Sacramento by ambulance because there are no pediatric specialists for children with Type 1 diabetes in our area. The trip in the ambulance was almost 100 miles and cost $20,000. In the last year and a half, Tristan's medical care has cost an additional $15,000 in doctor's bills and medication.
Like most Americans, his family is not in a position to afford such costs. We need help to pay for his care and we want to make Tristan's dream of getting a Diabetic Alert Dog come true.
These truly miraculous dogs can detect the chemical changes in the body when a child has high or low blood sugar by smell! They can alert the child's parents before the levels become dangerous. Dangers of diabetes include seizures, heart attack, nerve damage of limbs, kidney damage, and blindness to name a few.
It is a struggle to manage diabetes throughout the day but at night is when it gets really scary. A child with diabetes can silently slip into a coma or death if their blood sugar dips too low while they are asleep. Can you imagine that fear hanging over your head every night as you put your child to bed?
My sister (Tristan's mom) gets very little sleep at night. She wakes up twice a night to prick his finger and check his blood while he sleeps. It is hard to go back to sleep after that with all of the worry and before long it is time to get up and do it all over again. A Diabetic Alert Dog would give her some reassurance so that she can get some peace at night.
A child with a dog forms a strong bond and the two of them can grow together. I recently read a story about a little girl whose dog alerted her parents while she was at school, five miles away! (See the story "Sadie's Hero")
If you can give even $2 or $5, every bit raised will help. Please don't feel that if you can't give a large donation then you shouldn't give at all. If you can't give financially, please share on social media to help spread the word.
From our family to yours,
A Sincere Thank You!
Tristan was born a strong and healthy little boy. A year and a half ago his pancreas stopped producing insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. It can happen to anyone at any time. Doctors believe that the immune system can attack the cells in the pancreas that make insulin and once they are destroyed, they cannot come back. This is not something that diet or exercise can cure. It is not because he eats too much sugar. Almost all foods have carbohydrates which turn to sugar in the blood. His blood sugar levels have to be monitored and managed all day and night. There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Tristan will live with this disease for the rest of his life.
When Tristan's body first started showing signs of shutting down from his glucose levels being too high, he was taken from our local hospital in Paradise, CA to Sacramento by ambulance because there are no pediatric specialists for children with Type 1 diabetes in our area. The trip in the ambulance was almost 100 miles and cost $20,000. In the last year and a half, Tristan's medical care has cost an additional $15,000 in doctor's bills and medication.
Like most Americans, his family is not in a position to afford such costs. We need help to pay for his care and we want to make Tristan's dream of getting a Diabetic Alert Dog come true.
These truly miraculous dogs can detect the chemical changes in the body when a child has high or low blood sugar by smell! They can alert the child's parents before the levels become dangerous. Dangers of diabetes include seizures, heart attack, nerve damage of limbs, kidney damage, and blindness to name a few.
It is a struggle to manage diabetes throughout the day but at night is when it gets really scary. A child with diabetes can silently slip into a coma or death if their blood sugar dips too low while they are asleep. Can you imagine that fear hanging over your head every night as you put your child to bed?
My sister (Tristan's mom) gets very little sleep at night. She wakes up twice a night to prick his finger and check his blood while he sleeps. It is hard to go back to sleep after that with all of the worry and before long it is time to get up and do it all over again. A Diabetic Alert Dog would give her some reassurance so that she can get some peace at night.
A child with a dog forms a strong bond and the two of them can grow together. I recently read a story about a little girl whose dog alerted her parents while she was at school, five miles away! (See the story "Sadie's Hero")
If you can give even $2 or $5, every bit raised will help. Please don't feel that if you can't give a large donation then you shouldn't give at all. If you can't give financially, please share on social media to help spread the word.
From our family to yours,
A Sincere Thank You!