Diabetic Alert Dog for Vanessia
Donation protected
Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) for Vanessia
Hi, my name is Candice and I'm the mother of a beautiful young lady named Vanessia. Vanessia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 8 years old and is soon to be 14. When Vanessia was diagnosed, her life turned upside down in so many ways. What once was a carefree child doing what all children do as an 8 year old, turned into constant doctors appointments, hospital stays, and lifestyle changes in every avenue of life.
Learning about Type 1 diabetes and treatment is an ongoing process as medical advances continue, with no cure for this lifethreatening condition. Type 1 diabetes affects not only Vanessia, but also our entire family as we continue to learn and live with this diagnosis. To give you some examples of how Type 1 diabetes has created changes in our lives, it was necessary to relocate from the state we lived in with family, friends, our church family, and familiar school systems to Tennessee so Vanessia could be closer to Vanderbilt as her diabetes treatment meant traveling out of state frequently for appointments as well as hospital stays. Although Vanessia wears an insulin pump now, she still requires constant monitoring of blood sugar levels around the clock and has difficulty knowing when levels are out of range with both lows and highs. Everything from food being measured for meals, counting every carb, adjusting insulin, to activities, are carefully monitored and her lifestyle has changed dramatically. Normal activities such as going to a friends house for an overnight stay or even just a visit is not possible at this time as well as participating in certain sports or other school or church functions without someone who is familiar with her particular treatment, in case of an emergency, is on site the entire time.
We discussed with her physician the benefits of a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) to be that constant companion who can assist her in living with her Type 1 diabetes. Vanessia would be able to have assistance with knowing when she is developing highs or lows before dangerous levels either way are reached as well as alleviating her stress level of constanting wondering what her levels are, since she does not always know when this is occurring. Vanessia says she would feel more at ease knowing there is help by her side 24 hours a day and give her the confidence that she can, with her Diabetic Alert Dog, live life to it's fullest.
DADs are expensive and require a deposit before being paired with diabetics. Price for these lifesaving alert dogs range from $15,000.00 to $28,000.00 depending on age, basic training, advanced training, ongoing training, and organization or private company obtained from. Also the price of the alert dog may or may not include travel expenses to and from training facility and ongoing training expenses.
As of now, we have applied to an organization who provide DAD dogs and have decided we want a fully trained, certified, ready to work DAD dog who can immediately assist Vanessia. As we await to hear from them on pairing Vanessia with her DAD dog, we need to raise the deposit money immediately as well as have a final goal of $25,000.00 which we feel will cover all expenses with any other funds remaining afterward to be donated to another Type 1 diabetic child to help them obtain their own DAD dog.
We are asking for donations of any amount to help us reach our goal and the goal of another child after our initial expenses are met. With your help, we are confident that Vanessia will be able to have her DAD dog by this summer and attend school with her on the very first day of the next school year which would be just awesome.
Vanessia is just beginning her teenage years and as I'm sure you know, those years are the most difficult. Please help Vanessia to be a happy, healthy, confident teenager in every way by making your donation today! We, as a family, are forever grateful to you all!
Hi, my name is Candice and I'm the mother of a beautiful young lady named Vanessia. Vanessia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 8 years old and is soon to be 14. When Vanessia was diagnosed, her life turned upside down in so many ways. What once was a carefree child doing what all children do as an 8 year old, turned into constant doctors appointments, hospital stays, and lifestyle changes in every avenue of life.
Learning about Type 1 diabetes and treatment is an ongoing process as medical advances continue, with no cure for this lifethreatening condition. Type 1 diabetes affects not only Vanessia, but also our entire family as we continue to learn and live with this diagnosis. To give you some examples of how Type 1 diabetes has created changes in our lives, it was necessary to relocate from the state we lived in with family, friends, our church family, and familiar school systems to Tennessee so Vanessia could be closer to Vanderbilt as her diabetes treatment meant traveling out of state frequently for appointments as well as hospital stays. Although Vanessia wears an insulin pump now, she still requires constant monitoring of blood sugar levels around the clock and has difficulty knowing when levels are out of range with both lows and highs. Everything from food being measured for meals, counting every carb, adjusting insulin, to activities, are carefully monitored and her lifestyle has changed dramatically. Normal activities such as going to a friends house for an overnight stay or even just a visit is not possible at this time as well as participating in certain sports or other school or church functions without someone who is familiar with her particular treatment, in case of an emergency, is on site the entire time.
We discussed with her physician the benefits of a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) to be that constant companion who can assist her in living with her Type 1 diabetes. Vanessia would be able to have assistance with knowing when she is developing highs or lows before dangerous levels either way are reached as well as alleviating her stress level of constanting wondering what her levels are, since she does not always know when this is occurring. Vanessia says she would feel more at ease knowing there is help by her side 24 hours a day and give her the confidence that she can, with her Diabetic Alert Dog, live life to it's fullest.
DADs are expensive and require a deposit before being paired with diabetics. Price for these lifesaving alert dogs range from $15,000.00 to $28,000.00 depending on age, basic training, advanced training, ongoing training, and organization or private company obtained from. Also the price of the alert dog may or may not include travel expenses to and from training facility and ongoing training expenses.
As of now, we have applied to an organization who provide DAD dogs and have decided we want a fully trained, certified, ready to work DAD dog who can immediately assist Vanessia. As we await to hear from them on pairing Vanessia with her DAD dog, we need to raise the deposit money immediately as well as have a final goal of $25,000.00 which we feel will cover all expenses with any other funds remaining afterward to be donated to another Type 1 diabetic child to help them obtain their own DAD dog.
We are asking for donations of any amount to help us reach our goal and the goal of another child after our initial expenses are met. With your help, we are confident that Vanessia will be able to have her DAD dog by this summer and attend school with her on the very first day of the next school year which would be just awesome.
Vanessia is just beginning her teenage years and as I'm sure you know, those years are the most difficult. Please help Vanessia to be a happy, healthy, confident teenager in every way by making your donation today! We, as a family, are forever grateful to you all!
Organizer
Candice Boggs
Organizer
Clarksville, TN