Stories of Hope
Dear Help A Diabetic Child
I am incredibly grateful for your quick response in helping a student who was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and was missing school.
This student is part of an uninsured, Spanish-speaking family currently experiencing homelessness in Naples. He had been missing school because the family lacked critical insulin and medical supplies because of the high costs.
Within just 24 hours of contacting you, HADC secured an endocrinology appointment, covered the full visit cost, and shipped urgent diabetes medical supplies directly to both the family and my school clinic.
Your swift action prevented a crisis, saved this family from calling 911, and brought this child back into the classroom. What you have done touches my heart deeply and reminds me why this work is so worthwhile.
Thank you for your extraordinary impact.
Sincerely,
Collier County School Nurse
Good Afternoon,
As classes at Lecanto High School are over for the 25-2026 academic year, I wanted to say “Thank You” for all you do to help diabetic kids.
I do not know how to express my gratitude enough. You have helped many of our students in time of great need.
Sincerely,
Cindy
School Nurse
Lecanto High School
HADC received a phone call from a young man who is 21 years old and who lives with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
“I am 21 years old and just got hired at a local restaurant. I will start work next week but won’t have any health insurance for 3 months. I don’t have any extra cash to pay for my insulin and medical supplies and was hoping you could help me for a few months, so I don’t lose my job”.
HADC was able to help this young man for the 3 months and he is now on his employer’s health insurance plan.
From a Terrifying Diagnosis to a Safe Journey Home
When a pediatric medical social worker reached out to HADC, an urgent crisis was unfolding. A young child had just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Without the means to pay for an endocrinologist, critical care, insulin, or daily diabetes medical supplies, the family faced a heartbreaking reality: their child was on the brink of emergency hospitalization.
HADC stepped in immediately.
Within hours, HADC coordinated an immediate endocrinology appointment. By that afternoon, the prescriptions were filled.
HADC covered the cost of:
Life-saving insulin: A full month's supply
Emergency safety: A critical glucagon rescue pen
Daily monitoring: A glucose meter, test strips, lancets, and ketone strips
Total Cost was: $862.04
Instead of an emergency room bed, this child got to go home safe in the arms of their family.
Your Gift Saves Lives in Real Time
Stories like this happen every week, and your generosity is the only reason we can say "yes" when a desperate family calls. Every dollar you give goes towards providing immediate medical interventions, life-saving medication, and vital diabetes medical supplies to children and young adults in crisis.
Help A Diabetic Child (HADC) Responds to a School Nurse's Request
HADC was contacted by a school nurse who shared the following: “I am reaching out for assistance with a student who was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). He hasn’t attended school since Friday due to a shortage of diabetes medical supplies, insulin, and emergency glucagon. This family is considered homeless and lacks health insurance. Although Mom has applied for Medicaid, she won't know if he is approved for several weeks. The child has an appointment scheduled with an endocrinologist, but the parents are uncertain if the doctor will see him without insurance. Does Help A Diabetic Child (HADC) have any programs that could cover the costs of this student’s medical visit, insulin, and necessary supplies so he can return to school?”
HADC immediately set up a doctor’s visit so he could get the prescriptions he needed for his insulin and medical supplies which enabled this student to go back to school. HADC covered all the costs for this family in time of great need.
The school nurse expressed her gratitude with this note:
“I find it phenomenal what you’ve done for this student. It really touches my heart! I can’t thank you enough, especially in such a short amount of time. I am truly grateful. You have made everything so worthwhile!”
At 22 years old, Sara was forced to make a choice no one should ever have to make: ration her remaining insulin or face a life-threatening medical emergency.
Sara’s story in her own words
"I haven’t been able to pay the copays on my insulin for a while. I have two fast-acting insulin pens left, and then I am completely out. I’ve been entirely out of my long-acting insulin since February. I have an insulin pump, but I can’t use it because I can’t afford the insulin vials. My blood sugar levels have been running high in the 200 to 300 rang because I don’t have the long-acting insulin to keep my glucose levels in a better range. I’m about to start a new job, but my health insurance won't kick in for 60 days. Would you be able to help me until my healthcare plan begins?" Thank you Sara
How your support changed everything
When Help a Diabetic Child (HADC) received Sara's urgent plea, our team immediately went to work.
The barrier: We called Sara's pharmacy and found her retail cost was $559.62 ($408.70 for fast-acting pens and $150.92 for long-acting pens). For a young adult starting a new job, this cost was completely insurmountable.
The intervention: Our HADC team successfully enrolled Sara in a prescription discount program, cutting the total cost down to just $70.00 for her insulin. HADC also covered the cost of her basic diabetes medical supplies (test strips, lancets, glucose meter, pen needles, glucose tablets etc.) total cost of medical supplies $130.00
The impact: HADC covered this entire expense. Sara now has the life-saving insulin she needs to stay safe, healthy, and focused as she begins her new job.
Bridge the 60-day gap
Sara is just one of thousands of young adults who fall through the cracks of the healthcare system during employment transitions. A gap in insurance should never mean a gap in survival.