My name is Karrington, and my husband (Zachary) and I are raising funds for a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) for our youngest son, Declan.

Declan was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in January of 2024, and while he has adjusted well, we feel that a service dog would keep him safer and improve his care when it comes to managing his diabetes. The training for a DAD is extensive, costly, and we will need to travel about 6 hours away a few times, but we are optimistic that we can accomplish this goal for our sweet boy.

Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body makes little to no insulin — a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels by allowing glucose to enter cells for energy. With no insulin, a person with T1D can die within days and too much insulin can result in seizures, loss of consciousness, and death. This disease is a balancing act 24/7.

Declan is hypo/hyper-unaware so an alert dog would give us an extra layer of protection. Diabetic Alert Dogs often alert 15-30 minutes before his Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). Those minutes could be the difference between a normal day and an emergency. This dog would not only give our boy a safety net, he or she would be a companion and guardian.