As I flew to Oakland and then drove to Walnut Creek, many thoughts ran through my head. I wasn't certain how the day would unfold. When I arrived, I met with D4D executives, trainers, foster caregivers, diabetic children training with their dogs, parents, and supporters of all ages. Everyone associated with D4D was warm, loving, supportive, and genuinely excited to have the opportunity to witness the graduation of two working teams.

Imagine my surprise when Program Director, Carol Edwards, announced that I would be offered the opportunity to formally present Beverly to Krystle and have a chance to say a few words. Yikes! and Yippee! I have no idea what I said, but I do know it was magical standing there, seeing Beverly and Krystle together as a team.

I was moved to the depth of my soul when I was presented with a framed certificate with the following words:

A Hundred Years From Now…
it will not matter what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in,
or the kind of car I drove,
but the world will be different because I was
important in the life of a person with diabetes…
I raised an assistance dog.

Dogs4Diabetics, Inc.

Beverly

Gail H.
Dogs for Diabetics Graduation
3 November 2007

This is from Krystle:

“It was midnight when I checked my blood sugar in preparation for bed. I was a nice 140 with no active insulin on board. An hour later I wake up to Beverly standing over me licking my hands. I told Bev to go back to sleep but she refused. I decided to go ahead and check my blood sugar, but I was sure that I was fine. I was 55. Bev was right! I couldn't believe it. She actually worked! I made all my roommates wake up and tell Beverly what a good dog she was. Bev got a big reward. I drank a huge glass of juice; we had a party for her in the middle of the night!

No more than 5 minutes after we had all gone back to sleep Beverly wakes me up again, but this time she jumps right into my bed and is digging at my pillows and licking my neck. I tell Bev to get off the bed. I was sure I wasn't low, I had just drank more than enough juice to raise my glucose. She must be smelling the left-over low scent on my pajamas. There was no way I was going to shower and change at 2 am… she'd have to get over it.

There was no stopping Bev, she jumped right back into my bed and proceeded to lay right on top of my body licking my face. I was upset at her, but I decided to appease the dog and put aside any doubt of my still being low and check. I was 45!! Bev is my hero.”

If the opportunity arises to make a difference in another person's life, and a dog is involved, count me IN!

Visit: www.Dogs4Diabetics.com

Beverly D4D graduation

When I got “the call” that Guide Dogs for the Blind had career-changed Beverly while in Phase 10, I was truly saddened by the news. However, my sadness was lessened when I was told that Dogs 4 Diabetics was interested in training her as a medical alert service dog.  When asked if I would release her to the program, without hesitation, I said, “Of course!”

As the months went by, I learned that Beverly was progressing through her scent detection training. This training would prepare her to alert a type 1 diabetic when she sensed the chemicals emitted when the handler would begin to experience hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).

I was so thrilled when I received word that Beverly had been partnered with Krystle, a college student who didn't always receive symptomatic information, such as shakiness, sweating, headache, hunger, etc. Beverly and Krystle were scheduled to graduate as a working team! Whoohoo!

A New Career for Beverly