Valley foundation joins 6-year-old's fight against diabetes

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's a nose that amazingly has become a critically important tool.

"The diabetes alert dogs, they smell blood-sugar, they can smell it about 30 minutes before it processes it in the system," Tiffany Crocenzi said.

They come with an $8,000 price tag, but Tiffany Crocenzi will do whatever it takes, even getting a GoFundMe accounts, to keep her 6-year-old Mia healthy.

"The dog will alert me to know she's running low before she's even low and it will be able to be an extra tool that I can use," she said.

Tools are everything when you're living with Type 1 diabetes.

Mia was diagnosed on New Year's Day and her mother called the Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities Foundation to help her figure out what to do next. They suggested a CGM, continuous glucose monitor, that they helped her get last week.

Despite being in her body for only seven days, Tiffany says already it's saved her daughter's life, but the foundation wanted to help even more.

"We want to pay for the rest of your dog," Jennifer Rogers said.

Executive Director Jennifer Rogers surprised Tiffany and Mia with the check, which closed the gap on their GoFundMe goal of $10,000.

"Stories inspire me every day, but when you look at the 6-year-old young lady and the way that she talks about diabetes and the way that she wants to be an advocate, not just for children with diabetes, but adults, anybody with diabetes," Rogers said. "It's life changing. She has something to say and she's just 6-years-old."

In a few years, she'll get her dog through Power Paws, an organization that's placed 136 dogs since 2001.

"The dogs are there for different reasons," Rogers said. "One of them is the diabetic alert, which is lifesaving, and another is championship."

It's a relationship Mia and her mom are excited to being, all thanks to generosity online and a foundation dedicated to helping others.