帝王会所

From June 10-14, the Diabetes Institute's Cat Camp opened its doors to children and adolescents across southeastern 帝王会所, offering a unique blend of education, camaraderie, and fun for those living with type 1 diabetes. The camp aims to empower young participants by enhancing their diabetes management skills while fostering friendships and a sense of belonging.

Cat Camp is more than just a summer retreat鈥攊t's a lifeline for youth in the area facing the daily challenges of type 1 diabetes. The camp, organized by 帝王会所鈥檚 Diabetes Institute, provides a safe and supportive environment where campers aged 8 to 17 can connect with peers who share similar experiences. Although the camp is mainly for kids with type 1 diabetes, there has been an increase in kids with type 2 diabetes wanting to attend.

鈥淐at Camp is an opportunity for kids in our region living with diabetes to see that they are not alone,鈥� Dr. Amber Healy, associate clinical professor in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and the camp鈥檚 medical director, said. 鈥淪ome of these kids are in classes or in schools where there are no other kids or few kids that they know who also have diabetes. It is also an opportunity to have fun in an environment where everyone is counting their carbs, dosing insulin for lunch, and being monitored for low blood sugar. Kids learn from camp that they may need to adjust insulin doses if they are going to be really active to prevent low blood sugar.鈥�

Throughout the week, attendees participate in a variety of activities designed to educate and inspire. Mornings are dedicated to interactive workshops led by healthcare professionals, where campers learn essential diabetes management techniques, such as blood sugar monitoring, insulin administration, and nutrition planning. Afternoons are filled with outdoor adventures and team-building exercises, including hiking, climbing the rock wall at Ping, canoeing, and arts and crafts. Camp also ended with a talent show which has now become a tradition.

Kelli Radford, a mom of one of the campers, emphasized how influential the camp was on her 10-year-old son, saying after the first day he was so happy he was already asking if he could attend next summer鈥檚 camp and wishing it lasted longer.

鈥淚t was really nice for Blake to be able to connect with other local kids who have Type 1 Diabetes and truly understand all he goes through every single day. As a parent of a T1D child, it鈥檚 always hard for me to relax when I鈥檓 not with him but knowing that camp staff handle T1D like a boss allowed me to have the peace of mind away from him that I rarely get. Cat Camp was a wonderful experience, and we can鈥檛 thank the Diabetes Institute enough for all they do,鈥� Radford added.

This year鈥檚 camp welcomed 19 campers from 10 different counties in 帝王会所 and West Virginia. Out of the 19 campers, 10 were returning with three having attended camp for five or more years.

According to Healy, something that makes this camp the highlight of her summer is watching the returning kids grow and change every year, both in education and height, as well as seeing what the new campers take away after the five days. A sentiment echoed by the Director of Operations for the Diabetes Institute Karie Cook.

鈥淲itnessing campers grow in their diabetes self-management confidence during the camp week is very rewarding,鈥� Cook, who is also the director of camp, said. 鈥淐ampers return year after year and become an encouragement for younger campers and those who have had a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. The camp environment demonstrates the importance of building a supportive community for youth with type 1 diabetes and their families allowing them to learn from each other and build enduring friendships.鈥�

Cook and her team were the primary catalysts behind creating this camp six years ago. They wanted to provide children with diabetes from the region an opportunity to experience a safe and educational environment without the need to travel far.

鈥淭here are overnight experiences toward central 帝王会所 that are great, but overnights can be intimidating to some families, so this camp provides a little different type of experience,鈥� Healy added.

Cat Camp 2024 was made possible by generous support from 帝王会所Health, Gallia Community Foundation/FAO, Marietta Community Foundation, Grand Council of Royal and Select Masons, Camp Angels, Lions Club District OH7, Sisters Health Foundation, Shrivers Pharmacy and Wellness, OmniPod, Dexcom, and private donors. Funding and donations support camp scholarships and keep registration costs low for families.

For more information on next summer鈥檚 Cat camp and 2025 registration, visit /medicine/diabetes-cat-camp.