I first met Kate (the cute little girl in blue) on Halloween last year. She was celebrating the night of spookiness just like every other kid at Anne Marie’s annual Halloween party.
Kate was full of energy and staring longingly at the glazed donuts with orange and black sprinkles that I’d just set on the table. And as I told her to have one, her mom told me Kate had diabetes. I listened as Kate and her mom Tanya calculated what she would be able to have that night, and I wondered if she would get to enjoy any of the candy our kids would amass later.
Honestly, what I don’t know about diabetes could fill volumes. But what I do know is that it really sucks. Especially when you have to poke yourself all the time and get picked up from school early because your numbers are way off.
Something else I know is that if Kate had a diabetic alert dog then her life would suck a whole lot less.
Not only are Kate’s days filled with constant blood sugar checks, but her nights are too. Sleep is the most dangerous time for Kate. Her parents have to check her blood sugar every 3 hours to make sure she is safe.
If she had a diabetic alert dog (which can sense abnormal blood sugar levels before the symptoms even occur) then Kate and her family could rest easy.
Getting a dog sounds simple, right?
Wrong.
These dogs are highly trained. And expensive. Crazy expensive. Like, $19,000 expensive. And that’s why they have started “A Dog for Kate” and Mellow Mushroom is hosting an event for her on February 11th.
I know a lot of you don’t live here, but I am asking everyone I know to donate $1 online.
Or, if you can come to the event:
“Something to believe in…a dog in a day!”
Mellow Mushroom, Downtown
February 11th, 2012 from 10 – 1:30 am
I mean, you could do both. That would be fantastic!
If you cannot make it, please go to:
And just donate $1.
A Dog for Kate is also on Facebook.
I don’t think I’ve ever asked anyone to donate anything before. EVER. But this is a great cause and for a little girl who is friends with Teague.
So give that dolla bill ya’ll! And feel free to give a whole lot more...
4 comments:
Love it!! Thank you so much!! I love you and I am so appreciative and feel so blessed!!
This is great! Thanks so much for writing it up! :)
Being a social worker at a hospital and with kids, I saw so many people with diabetes. It is very scary and very serious. I had a private client, 15 and on a pump. He wanted to die so he would purposely eat crap. We got him into a diabetes camp and he loved it and changed a lot of his,ways. I will be donating! There was a great article on Sunday in NY Times mag on service dogs for children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Amazing article. Check.it out.
Thank you, Whitney, for writing about Kate. It means more than you know. So glad you didn't think I was some crazy witch that just couldn't be nice to my kid! :) Your thoughtfulness made me cry today....does that mran you are just like storage and pepperoni pizza with sprinkles on the side? (yep, cried when that was delivered to the table Friday night, too!)
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