Woodbury Boy With Diabetes Raises Money For Trained Dog

WOODBURY, CT — A 9-year-old Woodbury boy has raised enough money to get a Diabetes alert dog, according to The Waterbury Republican-American. An anonymous donor last week stepped forward with $7,000, allowing him to reach his target of $18,000.

Misty Lewis, Hobie's mother, started a GoFundMe campaign for the dog and thought it would take another few years to reach the goal. She called hitting the goal a "great relief."

A musical fundraiser, dubbed "Ditties for a Dog," organized by family members and Hobie's piano teacher, Nancy McMillan, raised more than $2,000 in November, according to the Republican-American.

Hobie suffers from Type 1 Diabetes. He has a monitor that reports when his blood sugar is too high or too low, but he wants to buy a specially trained dog that is more prompt at alerting patients. The risks of Type 1 Diabetes are serious, including going into a hypoglycemic coma. Responding quickly is key.

"Low blood sugars are the most scary thing about being a Type 1 and by the time I feel mine I am really really low," Hobie said on the GoFundMe page. "This makes my mom and dad very scared. ..I love dogs and it's my dream to have a dog that can also help keep me safe."

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