For many families living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the day is measured in small moments: a number on a screen, an alarm in the background, a decision made quickly and quietly. And for parents of young children, a constant question sits right at the center of everything: Are they safe right now?
Jessica shared the story below to put words to a reality that can be hard to explain from the outside, managing T1D alongside additional needs, when communication isn’t always easy and you’re often relying on observation, instinct, and love. Her story is a window into the intensity, the isolation, and the resilience that can exist all at once.
Jessica’s Story
“I’m writing to share the story of my daughter, Kay — a little girl who has been fighting big battles since the day she was born.
Kay came into this world with a dramatic entrance, and from that moment on she has proven that she is made of something extraordinary. She is living with Down syndrome, autism, and hearing loss in one ear, and despite every challenge she has faced, she meets life with a softness and strength that continues to amaze everyone who knows her.
When Kay was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on June 6th, 2024, she was just three years old. She was still learning her words, still learning how to communicate her needs, still figuring out how to make sense of the world around her. Suddenly, we were thrown into a new reality — one filled with alarms, numbers, needles, and the constant question every parent of a child with diabetes knows too well: Is she safe right now?
Managing T1D for a child with special needs is something you can’t fully understand until you live it. Kay couldn’t tell me when she felt low. She couldn’t recognize the signs of a high. Every meal became a puzzle, every day a test of intuition. It was overwhelming, scary, and so isolating at times — but Kay never stopped smiling. She kept fighting, just as she always had.
When we began fundraising for Maeve, the Diabetic Alert Dog who would eventually become Kay’s lifeline, the community responded with love. Local news even picked up our story. People who had never met Kay were rooting for her, cheering her on, helping us get to the finish line. And on August 19th, 2025, Maeve finally came home.
The moment Maeve joined our family, something shifted. She brought calm into the chaos. She curled up beside Kay during the tough moments, alerted to blood sugar changes we hadn’t yet seen, and created a sense of safety we’d been longing for. Watching the two of them bond has been one of the most beautiful parts of this journey.
Even with everything she’s faced, she remains the happiest little girl. She is brave, curious, funny, stubborn in the best way, and full of a joy that radiates into the lives of everyone who meets her.”
If Jessica’s story feels familiar, we hope it reminds you of something important: you don’t have to carry this by yourself. When you’re ready, the Nevada Chapter’s events and community gatherings are here, simple ways to meet other people who understand the day-to-day of T1D.
Find upcoming events and ways to connect here: breakthrought1d.org/nevada