Helping a young girl with type 1 diabetes gain independence
Zayley's story
It can be a challenge to keep up with 11-year-old Zayley. From the basketball court to participating in her church’s youth group, Zayley is always on the move.
“She likes to be outside,” said John Menard, Zayley’s dad. “She likes her basketball, riding her bike. Typical preteen.”
Zayley is at that age where activity and independence are everything, but it has been a journey to get there.
“When Zayley was 3, something just wasn’t right with her. She had very low energy,” said Charla Menard, Zayley’s mom. “She wasn’t showing symptoms of sickness, no coughing or fever – just something was off.”
Zayley’s parents also noticed she was drinking excessive amounts of water in the evening and using the bathroom frequently. After a recommended blood sugar test, Zayley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
“We didn’t really know what the future would hold for her,” Charla said. “We had to learn how to give injections, how to drop insulin, how to do finger sticks, how to figure out how much insulin she needed.”
While Charla’s head was spinning worrying about Zayley’s medical needs, she was also concerned about Zayley’s day-to-day life.
“Was she going to be able to be a normal child? Was she going to be able to go back to school safely? How could she be away from me?”
When Zayley had a low blood sugar seizure1 at 4 years old, Charla knew they needed help to manage Zayley’s condition.
“I gave her insulin to bring down her blood sugar and it just crashed too fast,” Charla said. “It was probably one of the worst things in my whole life to see her do that. After that happened, we realized that we needed a continuous glucose monitor.”
However, continuous glucose monitors (CGM) can be quite expensive, leaving John and Charla with an incredibly tough decision to make. Zayley’s older brother, Zach was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and needed the same assistance, but the family could only afford one monitor.
The family applied for a UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) grant to help ease the financial burden and ensure both children received a CGM, plus other diabetes management tools.
“It was a huge burden lifted off us. We knew that we were going to be able to get all the supplies needed,” Charla said. “It wasn’t ‘we can only fill this’ or ‘this kid only gets that,’ both children got the best.”
The UHCCF grant helped pay for Zayley’s continuous glucose monitor2 and a smart insulin pen, which allows Zayley and her parents to easily monitor her glucose and insulin levels.
“It goes on the body and then it sends readings to a phone every five minutes of what the blood sugar is. We can see everything,” Charla said. “The fear is pretty much gone because I can check every five minutes, I can check when she is at school or sleeping.”
That extra assurance has lifted a weight off John and Charla’s shoulders — and helps make sure Zayley stays seizure free.
“I think that Zayley is not going to be held back by anything,” Charla said. “Zayley told me the other day when we were talking about the grant and everything she has gotten, she said ‘I don’t feel like I have diabetes because I am not constantly reminded.’ She feels like every other child.”
Since 2005, UHCCF has awarded more than 34,000 grants valued at over $70 million. The funding pays for children’s medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a commercial health insurance plan.
The foundation’s goal is to support families like Zayley’s so they can focus on what’s most important – improving their child’s quality of life. The grants help cover medical services and equipment like various therapies, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs and more.
Is your child eligible?
- Grant recipients must be 16 years old or younger at the time of application
- Must meet eligible income requirements
- Must be children under the care of a licensed medical professional with services rendered within the United States
- Primary coverage for a child must be by a commercial health plan, either through an employer or individually purchased. Secondary insurance through Medicaid or CHIP is permissible.
- Children do not need to be insured by UnitedHealthcare.
Do you know a family who could benefit from a children’s medical grant? The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation will begin accepting grant applications, starting Sept. 3. Visit UHCCF.org for more information on how to apply.
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