Dear family and friends,

I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing to share my 13 year long journey of living with Type 1 Diabetes. As many of you know, I was diagnosed when I was 3 years old and over time so much has changed due to the progress in technology. I am on the newest technology, the Dexcom and the insulin pump. These two things make my life so much easier; I can see my blood sugar levels on my phone and with a few buttons I can give myself insulin.

A few years ago I went through something called diabetic coma, I wasn’t on the pump so I was giving myself shots. I hated doing this because I would have to step away from my friends and activities and do a shot. I was going to a yearly checkup and then next thing I know is that I am in an ambulance getting taken to Shady Grove Hospital. Once they understood what was going on I got transferred to Children's Hospital in D.C. The whole time I was going in and out of conciseness, I don’t remember much but I remember having a great support system. My parents would spend nights with me and my grandparents and brother would come and visit. After two weeks I got back into my normal routine and had some serious conversations. Lucky for me this was just around the time that the insulin pump and dexcom were coming out. I met with the doctor and got set up with all the new technology.

This past March I had another episode but it was on the other side of the spectrum. It's called hypoglycemia, it is when your blood sugar goes extremely low and you lose consciousness and sometimes seize. My blood sugar often goes low after I play hockey because of all the adrenaline. After one of my hockey games I got home with a teammate who was sleeping over. We hung out for a bit and then went to bed, lucky for me she was there because this all happened during the night and I wasn’t aware. It all happened so fast, five minutes before I started to seize my dad checked up on me and I was fine. My friend realized something was wrong and rushed to my parents, they saw that I was unresponsive and called for help. I have no recollection of this happening, all I remember was waking up in the ER. Once again I had a great support system and everyone helped me out and we regrouped with my doctor and figured everything out.

Both of these episodes have made me realize a lot about living with diabetes and how very risky it is for me to be by myself. So my family and me are always on the search for new ideas, innovations and creative solutions.

So I recently had a great opportunity to train a dog for my Type 1 Diabetes. My plan is to take this dog with me to college and into my adult life. My family and I believe that a trained service dog could significantly enhance my quality of life in the future. Living with diabetes poses constant challenges, during the nights. My blood sugar levels go all wonky, and I don't even know it. It's like a spooky mystery happening inside me, and I can't figure it out. When everyone else is asleep, I'm wrestling with this invisible monster. I wish I could have a superhero sidekick, like a service dog, to watch over me while I sleep. Imagine having a furry friend, always on the lookout for the sneaky tricks my blood sugar plays on me. It’s like having a guardian angel, but with a wagging tail.

The estimated cost to acquire, train, and care for a service dog is significant and, unfortunately, not covered by insurance. Therefore, I am seeking support from compassionate individuals like yourselves to contribute to my journey to receive a service dog.

Your generous contribution will directly impact my life, providing not only physical assistance but also emotional support. Any help is appreciated.

Thank you in advance!!

Rebecca Ogorodnikov