“It’s amazing to be part of such a special community.”

Imagine caring for your two young children who both suffer from a rare genetic condition which causes non – diabetic hypoglycaemia and knowing that the current medical equipment is too slow to detect falling blood glucose levels. Debbie faced this problem everyday with her now 5-year-old daughter Kia and son Nial who is four.

“Because Kia’s issues with blood glucose levels are non-symptomatic,’ explains Debbie, ‘we had no idea when an attack would or was taking place. We would have had to test her blood every five minutes which is not viable for any sort of living’. The situation was made worse as the current medical testing equipment can take up to 15 minutes to alert. Something quicker and more accurate was needed. 

Kia had been in Sheffield Children’s hospital for over 9 months as medical staff struggled to help her, when a consultant suggested Debbie contact Medical Detection Dogs. After reading everything she could about the charity she called and was amazed at the immediate support she received. The formal application for a medical alert assistance dog for Kia began in May 2017. The process seemed to be progressing quickly but unfortunately in 2018 Kia’s brother Nial was also diagnosed with the same genetic condition - Mitochondrial Depletion Syndrome - which means the children cannot absorb food by mouth and do not grow as other children do. Nial had already spent many months in hospital when the charity agreed to try to help both children, then aged four and three.

This was new territory for Medical Detection Dogs who had not worked with young siblings before.  Special arrangements had to be made to help the children at home as they are both non-mobile and non -verbal. Staff worked with the family planning visits around their busy schedule of hospital appointments.

The first visit to their home by prospective dog, Ally, was a success. ‘She was a perfect match’, says Debbie. ‘She walked in like she had always been here, and straightaway was so gentle with the children’.

Training Ally a 3-year-old chocolate Labrador, went well and Debbie found with the support from the Medical Detection Dogs Centre it was a very enjoyable process. ‘It is great seeing Ally try so hard to walk nicely and receive comments from the public about how good her behaviour is. She is a real pleasure to have as a medical alert assistance dog and as a companion for Kia and Nial. It’s like she was meant for us.

Because she can detect sugar levels going down in the children as it happens, we feel more relaxed. Medical Detection Dogs have literally changed our lives by giving us Ally.’

Ally was trained to detect the two different scents exhibited from Kia and Nial as their blood glucose levels dip. When either child has a low blood glucose level she will sit near the child and a change in her behaviour will alert Debbie and let her know that she needs to take action. ‘She gets very excited when she sees the blood sugar machine,’ says Debbie. “When she correctly identifies a low blood glucose level she is given a special treat from the side of the child, so it looks like the child is giving the treat to say thank you and she knows she has done a great job.

Now that Kia has a speaking computer, she can communicate with Ally herself and Ally’s response to it is amazing. It is just as if Kia was actually talking to her.’

Debbie, speaking of Medical Detection Dogs, says ‘It’s amazing to be part of such a special community. I can’t thank them enough. Just because your situation might not fall into the normal criteria, doesn’t mean that Medical Detection Dogs won’t work for you. They are willing to work in any way they can and they give you the opportunity to live a normal life, with a lifelong companion at your side.

My children will always have their condition, but with Ally walking side by side with them both, they have never looked back and while we have her, we are going to make the most of living and enjoying every moment’.