Help Train Buzz to Protect Kaylee's Life

Help Buzz Become Kaylee’s Lifesaving Diabetic Alert Dog!

Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted supporters,

In January 2025, our oldest daughter Kaylee, was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes. While she's done an awesome job in learning about her new life, stepping up to the new challenges, and taking personal agency in her care, there's a new risk: Hypoglycemia.

While we've managed to avoid a full emergency, we've gotten a lot closer than we would like: We've had sensors unexpectedly fail, middle of the night blood glucose crashes as her body adjusts to the medicine, and more. Even an unexpected "I'm full" at dinner is a situation, as if her dose was too high for the amount of carbs she ate, then her blood glucose can plummet. In a hypoglycemic event, Kaylee could quickly lose consciousness. And if that happens, a really, really short timer comes into play to treat her until permanent injury, or even death, occurs.

As her parents, we want to use every resource available to ensure Kaylee's health. That’s why we are seeking to train our energetic and loving dog, Buzz, to become her Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD). As a DAD, Buzz will be trained to detect changes in Kaylee's blood sugar levels before they become life-threatening. Dogs trained in this skillset can often detect these changes before  even the best monitoring technology, giving children like Kaylee an extra layer of protection—especially at night, when blood sugar fluctuations can go unnoticed. Even more so for Kaylee, as we know first hand she can, and will, sleep through even the most urgent of blood sugar alarms.

Unfortunately, the training program for Buzz is expensive, starting at $16,000. To make matters more challenging, my husband was laid off just before Christmas, adding financial strain during an already difficult time. But we refuse to let obstacles stand in the way of Kaylee’s safety and independence.

With Buzz by her side, Kaylee's "little brother" could soon become a constant companion who can alert us before emergencies happen. This would provide her, and the whole family, with freedom, peace of mind, and a sense of normalcy despite her diagnosis.

We are humbly asking for your help to raise the funds needed to train Buzz. Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to making this dream a reality for Kaylee. Even if you cannot contribute financially, we would be so grateful if you could share our story with others.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support, love, and generosity. Your kindness means the world to our family.

With gratitude,

Charles, Jessica, Kaylee, Katherine, and Buzz