Mom Hosts Garage Sale To Provide Service Dog For Diabetic Daughter
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A single mom and her diabetic daughter are feeling the love of strangers this weekend at a Plainfield garage sale, which aims to raise $6,000 for a diabetes service dog.
Heather Pauls may be offering used toys and clothes, but those stopping by her garage sale have left her with something priceless.
Pauls says parents of children with diabetes have stopped by to offer advice. She added that she is overwhelmed not only by their kindness, but also by the kindness of others who have been donating money to help.
"It's just really amazing to see the community come together to support someone they don't even know," she said.
The summer before 6th grade, Jayden, her 12-year-old daughter, learned she has Hypo Unawareness, Type 1 diabetes. It's a dangerous condition because people who are Hypo Unaware don't recognize any symptoms if their levels are too high or too low.
"I'm up two times a night checking her blood to make sure that she's not too high and that she's not too low -- makes it very hard being a single mom working two jobs," Pauls said.
Pauls says a diabetes service dog or a continuous glucose monitor is the only way to know if Jayden is in a "safe zone."
Either would provide peace of mind, but Medicaid considers that a luxury and does not pay for it.
Pauls is hoping to buy her daughter a diabetes service dog through this fundraiser. The dog can detect when someone's glucose is too high or too low.
Pauls created a Facebook page for Jayden, who she calls her "T1D Warrior Princess."