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Diabetes Camps

HumerusGal

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hello,

What are people's experiences of camps for young people with diabetes? Have you been in one, organised one, etc?

I'm a T1 diabetic looking into organising/running a summer camp for children and young people with diabetes in the future. In the past, I've done a similar thing with other people my age (I was ~13 at the time), which was a week-long, but I think it was partly run by the paeds department at the hospital.

I realise these camp-style courses are extremely positive and beneficial experiences for children/young people, which is why I'd like to expand the idea into my area.

What do you think is important in these camps? Are there any local ones around you, or perhaps abroad? Responses from parents, participants, and really anyone welcome

Thank you!
 

I don't have any experience of them, but I do know of one in my area that has been running for 30 years.

https://www.campcharnwood.org.uk/
 
I cannot imagine anything worse. It almost make it seem like something to celebrate. Don't you ever get people who just don't want to be there? I know my take on this is different to everyone else's and I'm wrong about everything, ok fine, but I'd have hated it.
 

“For young people”
 
NoKindofSusie - CampCharnwood, which is near me, is run and supported by the Uni Hospital, so there is medical staff on tite at all times, but also very importantly parents. There is a very strong parent's group in Leicester.

Associated with both the hospital and the group, the children have the opportunities to do all manner of activities. They have the opportunities. They don't have to take them.One of the things they do is have a choir. They're not going to be winning Britain's Got Talent, but they seem to enjoy themselves. They sing in competitions and do "appearances" in a variety of locations.

My local Diabetes UK group has hosted them twice, around the festive period, when they came and sang to us and we had a light buffet of nibbles.

The kids were more than happy singing away, then troughing on the nibbles provided - all twizzling on their pumps, bolusing away.

When we made a donation to them, we envisaged they might buy some t-shirts or sponsor some travel for their competitions, but no. They chose to do something different.

They chose to have a day out at Cadbury's World. That wasn't anything to do with torturing the children, but to support and demonstrate how they could do the things their friends, brothers and sisters could.

Like anything else in life, there are those for whom approach X will work, and others for whom it's their worst nightmare. Nobody makes anybody do anything, but it doesn't mean the opportunities should not be available to them, should they wish to take them.
 
Diabetes camps is a term I've not heard for a looooooong loooooong time. Anyway I attended one in 1980 when I was 5.

My parents told me I was going away on a summer camp for 1 week I was so excited, what they failed to tell me was that it was a 'special camp for diabetics' tbh it was probably the best thing they did for me and my diabetes.

From 5 at the camp i was taught about foods, testing and how to inject myself, if was also full of kids of similar ages which was also good. I went in a dependant on parents/nurse child and came out completely independent.

Not sure what they're like now.
 
I think voluntary @NoKindOfSusie.
 
I think I just find it a bit weird that it's an experience anyone would want to share. It's like, would you want to go to a broken leg club for people with broken legs? Why would you want to sit there going ooh, look at me, I've got the same horrible condition you have, look at me "twiddle with my pump."

Why would anyone want that? All I ever want to do is do what I have to do as quickly as possible and get back to being as normal of a human as I can possibly be, am I the only one who feels this way?
 
If you can't take at least something away from a group conversation, dislike / don't trust / disagree with the medical profession and fly solo, that's your choice. It wouldn't be mine
 

A bit like the forum @NoKindOfSusie, to know that you're not alone, there are other people who manage the way they live, and might be able to offer different ways to cope. Not really like a broken leg, broken legs mend and you only need to manage for a short time. You cant really believe you're wrong all the time, if you believed you were wrong you would change it, you are only justifying your feelings and I think its a shame you feel that way. You are still human, this is normal. Just like when you lose someone special, or your world changes for any other reason, you cant change it...this is you...now. (like the advert....re-calculating)

Hi @HumerusGal , Yes I've been on a diabetes camp, it was for 2 weeks and i'd been diabetic for 1 year, so in 1978. There weren't computers, but the world wasn't really black and white. Insulins were different; they also came indifferent strengths so it was more difficult to work out the dose, as you divided by 4 or 8 to get the marks on the syringe. I enjoyed the camp very much and it was good to see other people with the same battles. I expect that they would be very different now ;-) x
 
@HumerusGal hello! I went to a week long camp run by DUK (I think) when I was 7 to Calshott. It was super fun because I got taught to inject, figure out a little bit of carb counting and treating hypos, whilst doing loads of fun crazy activities like abseiling, dry slop skiing and a trip to a theme park. All the volunteers were either healthcare professionals or people with diabetes. It was a fun camp plus a bit of diabetes education on the side, and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I'm no longer in touch with anyone from the camp but it was fun to finally meet some other diabetics!
 

How long have you been diabetic.......doesn't sound like too long......

I would imagine these camps would be great for kids as they can have fun and do it safely without feeling anxious.....

adulthood is different obviously.....the diabetes just isn't that big a deal for me as I know what I have to do to function normally....

everyone feels differently but I expect your take on it falls in to the minority of diabetic, which is fine.....
 
A colleague told me about a diabetes camp he went on as a teenager.
Him and his mates were having fun ... the kind of fun you have as a teenager away from home: they got proper drunk. As a result, one of them suffered a serious hypo. Thankfully, doctors were on hand to advise. Yes, they told the teenagers what to do rather than take over (although I am sure they were watching from the sidelines).
The teenagers had to work on shifts keeping an eye on their poorly mate throughout the night. Hydrating him, monitoring his BG and keeping his sugars up.
Many years later, my colleague still remembered the experience and considered it a great way to learn some important lessons: to watch what you drink and to look after each other. And, with diabetes aware doctors and nurses close at hand, it was probably a safer environment than hiding from their parents at home.

I am not saying diabetes camps should be plying teenagers with alcohol but this is one story of the value they can bring to young people getting to grips with their condition.
 
I went a number of times as a kid and loved it, it also gave my single mum a break I suppose?
 
My son went a couple of times when he was in his teens but there was a mixture of ages. They were organised by the hospital in Derby. Each time he went it was to a youth hostel in the Peak District. He had a fantastic time. Rock climbing, kayaking etc. It was run by medical staff which took the worry out of it from a parents point of view
 
I haven't dared touch alcohol since diagnosis, the thought is terrifying. And yes it would be a nice idea to get absolutely lost in the bottom of a bottle but no way.
 
Good for you. I have been to teen camp and helped out as a volunteer for D UK. As a kid it was just about having fun and doing normal stuff whilst in a supportive environment. As a young teen I loved Outward Bound type course (kayaking, climbing, abseils etc. with fellow diabetics and a nurse around) which contrasted favourably with having to be escorted by a parent on the school ski trip or having a massive hypo on another school trip where I disliked the sandwiches and nobody spotted that I'd missed lunch... As a parent I imagine my mum and dad welcomed the break from it all and if they had come with me would have enjoyed getting support from other parents face to face and without having to explain their child's condition or their emotions about it all. I also did have a bad experience of going to a US Summer camp aged 18 as a helper for kids with diabetes but finding that I had not really come to terms with my condition and that the stress of being over there and not setting a great example to those kids was too much. Meaning as a newbie please be happy with your own control before you take this on. Good luck and you may well find volunteers to help here if you need them!
 
NoKindOfSusie said:
I haven't dared touch alcohol since diagnosis, the thought is terrifying. And yes it would be a nice idea to get absolutely lost in the bottom of a bottle but no way.
Click to expand...
Done this occasionally and survived but did once mix up long term jab with short term jab and had to spend all night being less and less drunk but having to eat ferrero rocher in compensation. Though I have never managed to forget I was diabetic so suspect this option won't do it for you.
 
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