Michaela Shelley's CGM Needs

Michaela Shelley is a senior at Converse College who has a terminal, genetic condition known as Mitochondrial Disease. On April 1st, 2019 she suffered a seizure when her blood sugar unexpectedly dropped to 23 for an unknown reason. Since that initial episode, Michaela has continued to experience many more bouts of hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episodes that come on unexpectedly, often without symptoms. These episodes can have serious consequences when not caught in time such as more seizures and death. In order to catch these episodes before they drop unexpectedly and too quickly, it has been suggested Michaela receives a continuous glucose monitor, (CGM) so that her blood sugar can be monitored at all times, without the need for multiple fingersticks to avoid the unknown drops. Unfortunately, we have learned because she has not been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, her insurance company will refuse to help cover the device and all other sensors it needs in order to work. The family is still fighting with her insurance company to try and have them pay for some at least some of the CGM or the supplies, but in the meantime, she needs help now to get this under control. Each year the continued supplies will total up to roughly $6,500 and with the already accumulating medical bills, her family has, there is no way they will be able to cover these costs,  so we are asking for your help. If her insurance does choose to help cover some of the costs, the family will use the remaining money for her other medical bills.