It's that time of year again...time to sign up for summer camp! The American Diabetes Association summer camps are always a blast and I have volunteered at Camp Discovery for four years. From my experience of being at Camp Discovery, I can safely say that there are some common themes each year. 1.) The campers realize they are not alone anymore and there are other kids that have diabetes. This concept is important because in many instances, those campers may be the only kid at their school who has type 1 diabetes. It is nice to know that they are not the only one experiencing the struggles and feelings associated with diabetes. 2.) Kids learn to become more independent at camp. One of the main purposes of camp is to educate the campers about diabetes. Many of the lessons include learning how to count carbs, how to give their own insulin injections, and distinguishing the difference between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. 3.) The kids have so much fun! I love seeing the kids running around, laughing, and making friends with the other campers. At the end of the day, I would ask the campers if they had fun and they would usually scream, "YES!"
The dates for the camps are:
Day Camps: (Ages 4-9)
Camp Confidence - June 16-20 - Methodist Camp Grounds, Des Plaines, IL
Camp Discovery - June 23-27 - Health Track, Glen Ellyn, IL
Camp Crossroads – July 7-11 – UIC Student Recreation Facility - East, Chicago, IL
Camp Can-Do - August 4-8 - Palos Park Recreation Center, Palos Park, IL
Overnight Camps:
Triangle D Camp (ages 9-13): July 20-26 - YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, IL
Teen Adventure Camp (ages 14-18) July 27 - August 2 - YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, IL
If you are interested, please note that a physician form needs to be filled out by the child's endocrinologist. Email msullivan@diabetes.org to ask for the official paperwork.
For more information, visit http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/diabetes-camp/
