Helping Hand Program

Financial Support for T1D Patients & Families

Programs | Helping Hand Program

The Children’s Diabetes Foundation is dedicated to providing exceptional medical care to patients at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (BDC) regardless of their ability to pay. The Helping Hand Program provides diabetes supplies, assistance with travel and accommodation costs for appointments, medical alert IDs, and more to BDC patients and families in need of assistance.

Diabetes is expensive. From direct medical costs like appointment fees, insulin, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to other more indirect costs, the financial burden of type 1 diabetes is staggering. Learn more about the financial impact of type 1 diabetes.

  • What are the statistics?

    Did you know? 

    • 45% of Barbara Davis Center patients are uninsured or underinsured 
    • 35% of Barbara Davis Center patients live at or below the poverty level 
    • On average, the first year of care for a newly diagnosed type 1 is $20,000
    • Type 1 diabetes is the only disease where patients and caregivers are making life and death insulin dosing decisions, and they are doing it every hour of every day 

  • What does the Helping Hand program do?

    • Purchases diabetes supplies such as insulin, syringes, and test strips 
    • Pays for emergency care such as life alert or a hospital stay 
    • Provides supplemental funds, such as one-time rent assistance, as necessary 
    • Supplies medical alert IDs for newly diagnosed children 
    • Covers long-distance travel and accommodation expenses for appointments 
    • Offers meal and gifts for the holiday season (learn more about Holiday Assistance) 
    • Funds workshops at the Barbara Davis Center that offer education and emotional support for families of newly diagnosed patients 

    Proper diabetes management early on lowers the risk for long-term complications. By ensuring all patients have consistent access to proper supplies, education, and care, the Helping Hand Program promotes proper diabetes management in all patients, regardless of their financial background. 

  • How can I help?

    Your donation can really make a difference. 

    • $10 for a day's worth of test strips for newly diagnosed patients to test their blood sugar to manage their diabetes 
    • $50 to give a child ketone strips for a week
    • $100 to cover the 100 needles a type 1 needs to use every month 
    • $250 to cover 1 month’s worth of insulin for a child 
    • $500 for a 3-month supply of sensors, which greatly improve a type 1’s blood sugar management 
    • $2,500 to get a child an artificial pancreas to make diabetes management easier 
    • $5,000 for a child to get an insulin pump to replace the need for insulin injections at every meal 
    • $7,500 for start-up education and appointment costs for 5 newly diagnosed children 
    • $10,000 to cover a hospital stay for a child with dangerously high or low blood sugars 
  • Closeup of a bunch of new onset bags provided to BDC patients by CDF.

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New Onset Bags For Barbara Davis Center Patients 

Through the Helping Hand Program, newly diagnosed patients at the Barbara Davis Center are provided with a “New Onset Bag” with information about type 1 diabetes and the Foundation’s (CDF's) support programs. This drawstring backpack includes cards listing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, high blood sugar, and low blood sugar that can be shared with schools and caretakers, a booklet of notes from children with type 1 diabetes to their new type 1 friend, a water bottle, a coloring book to learn about diabetes, and an adorable Pink Panther stuffed animal to take home.