Warren is a 9 year old boy living in California. Warren has Autism and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 3 years old. Warren is currently recovering from ACL lengthening surgery on both legs because of his toe walking (due to sensory issues with his Autism) and currently has limited mobility (he’s confined to walking boots and a wheel chair), which has made 2024 a tough year for Warren.
Because Warren is a Diabetic he often has very high or low blood sugars which can lead to major medical problems if not caught and treated quickly (high numbers can potentially lead to long hospital stays and low numbers can potentially cause him to have seizures or lose consciousness- both can lead to death if left untreated). Unfortunately, Warren does not feel when his blood sugar is very high or low like some Diabetics can. Warren wears a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) that keeps track of his blood sugar numbers to help ensure his blood sugar does not go too high or low, however it often gives inaccurate readings, stops working completely for periods of time and must be monitored 24/7 by his mother as Warren is not able to respond to or treat his blood sugar alerts himself- life as a Diabetic can be scary! Despite all the obstacles he faces, Warren faces every day with a big smile on his face, little complaint and is the first share his love and support with his family or friends.
However there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Warren…. Recently Warren was matched with an amazing DAD (Diabetic alert dog) named Bumblebee who is living with and being trained by MD Dogs, a non-profit organization in Kentucky. Bumblebee is a perfect match for Warren and despite her small package (weighing in at only 19 pounds), she has a heart and personality the size of an elephant and desires nothing more then to work hard and be loved by her person.
Because Warren is a Diabetic he often has very high or low blood sugars which can lead to major medical problems if not caught and treated quickly (high numbers can potentially lead to long hospital stays and low numbers can potentially cause him to have seizures or lose consciousness- both can lead to death if left untreated). Unfortunately, Warren does not feel when his blood sugar is very high or low like some Diabetics can. Warren wears a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) that keeps track of his blood sugar numbers to help ensure his blood sugar does not go too high or low, however it often gives inaccurate readings, stops working completely for periods of time and must be monitored 24/7 by his mother as Warren is not able to respond to or treat his blood sugar alerts himself- life as a Diabetic can be scary! Despite all the obstacles he faces, Warren faces every day with a big smile on his face, little complaint and is the first share his love and support with his family or friends.
However there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Warren…. Recently Warren was matched with an amazing DAD (Diabetic alert dog) named Bumblebee who is living with and being trained by MD Dogs, a non-profit organization in Kentucky. Bumblebee is a perfect match for Warren and despite her small package (weighing in at only 19 pounds), she has a heart and personality the size of an elephant and desires nothing more then to work hard and be loved by her person.
It was quite a process to find a DAD for Warren as, due to his Autism and age, his mom will have to help with the care and training of his dog and he does not qualify to even apply at many service dog organizations for a public access dog (which he needs so he can take his dog with him while out in the community). Not only did he struggle to find a place that he qualified to apply for, but it is important to make sure the dog you apply for is a good match for your household (Warren has several obstacles such as a pet dog at home and he also has 4-h show rabbits which disqualifies him for many service dog programs as well) and that the dog (breed, personality, etc) is a good match for you (field bred English Cocker Spaniels are not a good match for every child that may be interested in a DADs as they are a higher energy dog). Plus for every dog that MD Dogs trains, about 100 people apply and only one can ultimately be picked- so making the right dog/handler match is a tough process!
Right from seeing photos and videos of Bumblebee online and reading her story, Warren and his whole family knew she was the perfect dog for him- right down to being used to being around rabbits (this is a rare thing)! When Warren met Bumblebee in person it was love at first sight and the two immediately hit it off- Warren and his whole family loves her so much already!! On the second day of meeting/training, Bumblebee was already alerting to 100% of Warren’s high/low blood sugars before his CGM did- allowing his mom to treat him quickly and early so he could continue to safely go about his day- what a relief! To help Warren even more, MD Dogs’ trainer Libby is working on training Bumblebee to help Warren when he is feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated due to his Autism. This would be a huge help to preventing meltdowns and allowing Warren to live a healthier, more productive life as meltdowns can lead to lots of bad feelings and hours of time to recover from! What a special dog!!
For more information about Warren and Bumblebee, their full story and updates please visit their Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/971419521226998/
Now Warren needs help from the community! A fully trained public access dog costs $22,000 plus the cost to travel several times for training before Bumblebee and Warren are fully prepped and ready to go (we need to be able to learn all the commands, pass a public access test and allow time for Bumblebee and Warren to bond so when she comes home she feels confident and comfortable here after living with MD Dogs’ Libby her entire life). While this feels like an insurmountable cost, we know with help we will be able to raise the money for Bumblebee’s training by her graduation date in August (only a few months away!).
If you are able to help in anyway, we welcome all help, support and love you can give! If you can help donate any amount- even $1 helps towards the goal of bringing Bumblebee home to help Warren- all donations go directly to MD Dogs, which is a non profit organization that trains DADs and takes great pride in their life saving work! Because MD Dogs is a non profit organization, donations are tax deductible and receipts can be given for those who need/want them- donations can be given towards Warren and Bumblebee in any donation amount and paper checks can also be mailed to MD Dogs directly (please put Bumblebee and Warren in the memo line). If you aren’t able to donate please consider sharing Warren’s story to help find a wider audience in the community. It takes a village to help raise kids and this task will need everyone in the village’s help!
Right from seeing photos and videos of Bumblebee online and reading her story, Warren and his whole family knew she was the perfect dog for him- right down to being used to being around rabbits (this is a rare thing)! When Warren met Bumblebee in person it was love at first sight and the two immediately hit it off- Warren and his whole family loves her so much already!! On the second day of meeting/training, Bumblebee was already alerting to 100% of Warren’s high/low blood sugars before his CGM did- allowing his mom to treat him quickly and early so he could continue to safely go about his day- what a relief! To help Warren even more, MD Dogs’ trainer Libby is working on training Bumblebee to help Warren when he is feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated due to his Autism. This would be a huge help to preventing meltdowns and allowing Warren to live a healthier, more productive life as meltdowns can lead to lots of bad feelings and hours of time to recover from! What a special dog!!
For more information about Warren and Bumblebee, their full story and updates please visit their Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/971419521226998/
Now Warren needs help from the community! A fully trained public access dog costs $22,000 plus the cost to travel several times for training before Bumblebee and Warren are fully prepped and ready to go (we need to be able to learn all the commands, pass a public access test and allow time for Bumblebee and Warren to bond so when she comes home she feels confident and comfortable here after living with MD Dogs’ Libby her entire life). While this feels like an insurmountable cost, we know with help we will be able to raise the money for Bumblebee’s training by her graduation date in August (only a few months away!).
If you are able to help in anyway, we welcome all help, support and love you can give! If you can help donate any amount- even $1 helps towards the goal of bringing Bumblebee home to help Warren- all donations go directly to MD Dogs, which is a non profit organization that trains DADs and takes great pride in their life saving work! Because MD Dogs is a non profit organization, donations are tax deductible and receipts can be given for those who need/want them- donations can be given towards Warren and Bumblebee in any donation amount and paper checks can also be mailed to MD Dogs directly (please put Bumblebee and Warren in the memo line). If you aren’t able to donate please consider sharing Warren’s story to help find a wider audience in the community. It takes a village to help raise kids and this task will need everyone in the village’s help!
