HELP A DIABETIC CHILD RECEIVES $12,000 ANNUAL GRANT

HELP A DIABETIC CHILD RECEIVES $12,000 ANNUAL GRANT

FROM THE UNITED WAY OF COLLIER AND THE KEYS

Help A Diabetic Child, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting underserved, uninsured and underinsured children and young adults who live with diabetes and struggle financially, announced it has been awarded a $12,000 grant from the United Way of Collier and the Keys. This grant will benefit local children and young adults in securing necessary life-saving insulin, diabetes medical supplies and services.

Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic (life-long) autoimmune disease in which the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to naturally regulate the body’s blood sugar, leaving diagnosed individuals with a life-long dependency on costly medical insulin. Without daily insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring, a child can only survive a few days.

“We are grateful to the United Way for their continued support of children and families in our community,” said Tami Balavage, Founder/President for Help A Diabetic Child. “Even for those who have sufficient insurance, access to health care, and stable employment, the costs of managing Type 1 Diabetes can put a huge dent in a family’s monthly budget, often choosing between life-sustaining insulin or food for their family.”

United Way of Collier and the Keys (UWCK) is committed to investing in and working to create a community where all individuals and families in Collier and Monroe Counties have an opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential. UWCK will accomplish this through improving education, economic stability and health, as well as by providing access to food and safety-net services. United Way plays a unique role in convening businesses, nonprofits and government to work together to address community needs.

HADC supports underserved children, young adults and their families in Southwest Florida who live with Type 1 diabetes and cannot afford insulin, diabetes medical supplies and medical services. It was founded in Naples in 2013 by Balavage after her 16-year-old son was diagnosed with the disease. It quickly became evident that there was a significant number of children who were unable to get adequate medical supplies for blood glucose testing and insulin injections, which must be done multiple times daily.

The number of Americans being diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise at alarming rates. The American Diabetes Association reports that almost 10 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes, while another 8 million are undiagnosed. In addition, the ADA reports that 86 million Americans over the age of 20 years have pre-diabetes.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a nearly 30 percent increase in Type 1 diabetes diagnoses in the United States, with youth cases growing most sharply among diverse populations.

Diagnosed cases of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are surging among youth in the United States. From 2001 to 2017, the number of people under age 20 living with Type 1 diabetes rose 45 percent and the number living with Type 2 diabetes grew by 95 percent.

The goal for Help A Diabetic Child is to continue to do all that it can to do its part in helping those children who, through no fault of their own, are left behind. For additional information or to support the organization’s mission of providing life-saving medical supplies and services, please call 239-821-5051 or visit www.helpadiabeticchild.org.