MERIDIANVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – One family in Meridianville is on a mission to help their daughter and her fight with a disease that has no cure.
The Hall family is trying to get their daughter matched up with a specially trained dog through Dylan’s Dogs for Diabetes in Huntsville.
Vivian Hall, 12, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes four years ago.
“We took her in thinking that she had a severe case of COVID, and she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Her blood sugar was almost 1,000, and normal ranges between 80 and 120,” said Vivian’s mother, Becky Hall. “So she was diagnosed, and thankfully, she had not gone into a coma yet. They were able to get things under control, but it was a shift for all of us.”
That shift in life for the Hall family includes more needles, insulin, blood glucose monitoring and a change in eating habits.
“Being in school, even for Vivian, can be a scary place because not everyone, hardly anyone, has this. Especially like when she has a pump, and if it goes off in class, then she gets the looks and she gets the stares. And people are asking questions,” her dad, Hunter Hall said.
Now, Vivian’s family wants to call in reinforcements to help her get a diabetic alert dog.
“The amazing thing about service dogs is they can sense high blood sugars and low blood sugars 20 to 30 minutes before even the most modern technology is able to do that,” said Becky Hall.
The Hall Family launched a fundraiser in an effort to get a specially trained service dog that works with Type 1 Diabetics, and they don’t have to look very far.
Huntsville-based non-profit Dylan’s Dogs for Diabetes helps pair dogs with kids.
Lillian Cook with the non-profit knows these dogs are lifesavers for the kids and adds an extra layer of protection for the parents.
“These dogs give children more autonomy in their own lives because the children are more likely to participate in activities they may not have without the dog,” said Cook.
Dogs cost between $8,000 and $20,000 to not only buy the dog but also to pay for the months of training required.
You can donate to help Vivian by visiting https://bit.ly/4ojzuAO
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