THE REDWINES are a typical, young Versailles family. All they need is the right dog – a diabetic alert dog – to complete the family. From left: Cody, Rachel, Atlas and Athena, held by Rachel. (Photo by Scott White)
Atlas Redwine is an outgoing, active second grader in Ms. Erika Carter’s Southside Elementary class who is also a terrific big sister to Athena, 2. She loves playing and really loves swimming in their backyard pool. Atlas is a terrific kid, according to her parents, Rachel and Cody Redwine.
But there is one thing about Atlas you wouldn’t know about her upon first meeting her – she has Type 1 diabetes (T1D), and was diagnosed at age 6.
Since then, the disease impacts nearly every moment of Atlas’ day. She is frequently tested for blood sugar levels, wears an insulin patch and is accompanied throughout the school day by a nurse, April Parker.
The Mayo Clinic website says T1D in children “can be overwhelming, especially in the beginning. Suddenly, you and your child — depending on your child’s age — must learn how to give injections, count carbohydrates and monitor blood sugar. There’s no cure for T1D in children, but it can be managed. Advances in blood sugar monitoring and insulin delivery have improved blood sugar management and quality of life for children with T1D.”
It is a serious, chronic disease that impacts every facet of Atlas’ life.
Rachel, a Woodford County native and Woodford County High School graduate, is a born optimist with a sunny disposition. This attitude has come in handy, given the challenges the Redwine family has had to unexpectedly face over the last two years.
“Life with T1D is a constant roller coaster, truly. It means our days and nights are a continuous dance of alarms, finger pokes, carb counting for every bite she takes and constantly watching numbers that can flip in an instant,” Rachel told the Sun. “As her mom, I’m still waking up multiple times a night, checking on her, because when her blood sugar decides to take a nosedive, every single minute counts. Even with all the amazing technology we have, there’s often a frustrating 10-to-15-minute lag, and in those moments, that delay can feel like an eternity.”
She and Cody describe Atlas’ biggest wish—and, no, it isn’t a trip to Disney World.
“Atlas handles all of this with a strength that astounds us, but at the end of the day, she’s still just a sweet little girl who dreams of normal kid things,” said Rachel. “More than anything in the world, she adores dogs and talks non-stop about having a furry best friend by her side.”
The research is unequivocal – a child dealing with T1D has a significant increase in freedom, happiness and a healthier lifestyle with a service dog – or, for T1D kids, known as scent service dogs.
These dogs are specially trained working animals that are able to detect dangerous changes in blood sugar via their sense of smell even before a device is able to register the changes. If a change is noticed, the dog instantly protects the child by alerting the parents – even during the night when everyone is asleep, or at school or on the playground. It is like a security blanket during unpredictable daily moments.
“A service dog would truly be life-changing for Atlas’ safety and our family’s well-being,” said Rachel.
Through a lot of research and discussions with other families, the Redwines are working with Diabetic Alert Dogs of America, headquartered in Nevada. Their dogs begin training at just 2 days old, and as they grow, expert instructors spend thousands of hours building confidence and advanced skills through positive reinforcement. When the dog is matched, the dog is then trained for a period of time with the child in their home.
The cost of a scent service dog is $23,500, and no insurance plan covers the cost. It is entirely up to the family to pay, and most families fundraise to cover most or all of the expense.
The Redwines opened a GoFundMe.com page just two weeks ago, and after appearing in features on local news programs on WLEX-TV and WTVQ, they have raised $7,000. This has allowed them to make their initial deposit and sign their contract with Alert Dogs of America on March 5.
Assuming they are able to raise the balance of the funds, or the balance of $16,500, they will be able to get a fully trained, one-year old Goldendoodle scent service dog for Atlas. And, Atlas has already picked out the name for her dog . . . Juicebox, which is what she uses to increase her blood sugar when it dips.
Alex told the Sun, “I can hardly wait!”
“Atlas is just a great girl and she deserves to live as normal a life as possible,” Rachel said. “This will give her so much more freedom and a normal experience.”
Woodford County takes care of its own. Let’s step up for the Redwines. Let’s raise the rest of the needed funds from right here. To make a donation go to: https://www.gofundme.com/Atlasalertdog.
Just think how cool it will be to read the next feature story on Atlas next spring when Juicebox arrives at her home.