Hi! My name is Jenna DeGrazio and I’m a type one diabetic. At the age of 9 my world was flipped upside down when I got my diagnosis. I’m currently 22, and still battling this lifelong disease. I haven’t let diabetes hold me back from doing the things I love which include photography, concerts, and most importantly helping people with my EMT certification. While I am used to helping others, I’m now asking you for help to help me achieve my goal for a diabetic alert dog.

Type one diabetes is an everyday job, you are playing the role of your own vital organ. While I am extremely grateful to have help and support from my loved ones, having a diabetic alert dog will help tremendously.

Type one diabetes is a condition which leads to your pancreas producing little to no insulin at all. Type one diabetes requires round the clock attention. Type one diabetes is different than Type 2 Diabetes. For Type 2 Diabetics, with proper diet and exercise can live a normal life and ultimately get rid of Type 2 Diabetes. Type One Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and for Type One Diabetics including myself, my pancreas does not produce any insulin. Regardless of anything I do, I will have this disease for the rest of my life.

Diabetics make hundreds of medical decisions daily, just an extra drop of insulin alone could cause a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episode which, untreated can result in seizures, blurred vision, loss of consciousness, comas and fatality. On the other hand of diabetes, we also experience hyperglycemia which is high glucose. Hyperglycemia can cause ranges of problems while happening and lifelong problems with an elevated A1C. Uncontrolled diabetes can affect your eyesight, cause difficulty breathing, lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis which is a deadly build up of ketones and is life threatening, damage kidneys and other organs, as well as many other medical ailments.

Since 2020, I am lucky enough to have been put on a Dexcom. A Dexcom, is a continuous glucose monitoring device that syncs my blood sugars to my phone. Having a dexcom has been life changing. With the dexcom being a device, it isn't always accurate which can cause to high and low blood sugars going unrecognized. A diabetic alert dog can sense a low or high sugar, up to 15 minutes before your dexcom can.

I will be starting my first ever insulin pump, an insulin pump connects to my dexcom through a closed loop system. Having the pump and dexcom work together will help me to get my sugars and A1C lowered which will overall help my diabetes and quality of life longterm.

I am fundraising to get a Diabetic Alert Dog for many reasons, but the main reason is I am an extremely heavy sleeper and unfortunately my dexcom doesn't always wake me. Diabetic alert dogs are trained to sense low and high blood sugars, diabetic alert dogs alert owners and can even grab you a juicebox if you are low and unable to get up! Knowing that I will have an extra set of (paws) keeping an eye on me throughout the night will be a game changer, and potentially life saving in certain situations.

The process of getting a Diabetic Alert Dog is a very expensive one, with all the expenses monthly spent on diabetes supplies I am reaching out to ask for your help in helping me obtain my goal to get matched with the perfect pup!

I appreciate the time it took for you to read this and show intrest in my go fund me, if you are unable to donate, sharing helps just as much! Thank you!