Help Get Service Dog Scout for Addison

Addison was diagnosed with Glycogen Storage Disease, Type Zero five years ago to the day. Up until that point, we were always frustrated knowing something was wrong but helpless in being able to understand or care for our daughter adequately when the doctors were telling us there was nothing they could find. Once we had an answer, everything changed. Little by little, Addie began to grow. Our community also grew as we learned about how to best care for her on a day-to-day basis.

At the time, we considered a service dog; however, a dog was too much care as we fought to maintain blood sugars and feeding schedules. Now, Addison is under great metabolic control; her numbers are the best they’ve ever looked!

In a few short years, Addie will be venturing out on her own, and we want to make sure that she is ready. Now, five years after her diagnosis, seems like the perfect time to attempt such an undertaking only because the perfect dog came across our screens! We feel like Scout is the perfect laid-back companion that Addie needs with her to alert her when her blood sugar goes low and to accompany her wherever she may go.

Scout is being trained by a local trainer, Devon Patterson of Patterson K9 Academy, and Scout will be able to nudge Addie if she ignores her Dexcom alerts and/or if he smells that her blood sugar has gone to a dangerously low level.

The reason a service animal is important for this is so that Addison can start to gain the independence she needs to manage her disease on her own without constant reminders from us. Her continuous blood glucose monitor is not as reliable as we would like for accuracy. Having Scout to sniff out these low blood sugar levels will be a huge relief because he will be vigilant, and where the technology sometimes fails us, his nose will not.

The cost of Scout and his special training is $25,000. This is where we are asking for your assistance. Please give anything that you are able so that Scout can be trained for Addison so that she is able to live as independently and as healthily as possible. We are unable to come up with this amount of money on our own, and we plan on trying to fundraise and write grants for as much as we are able. We appreciate any and all donations as we understand that these are difficult times for everyone.

Thank you for reading about Addison and Scout, and please consider making a donation so that he can continue his training!