History of Diabetes Camp

It's always a good day when you hear from an old diabetes camp friend.  That's exactly what happened to me in mid-August when, out of the blue, I received an email from Dr. Stuart Brink, a pediatric endocrinologist from the Boston area, with whom I have shared many camp memories.  "Stu" and I did family weekends together before anyone else did them.  It was a Clara Barton Camp, Camp Joslin, American Diabetes Association partnership.  And it was good.  Volunteers served on the American Diabetes Association's Youth Services Committee.  Stu was one of them.  I remember him with young children, sitting around the fireplace, reading a bedtime story.  Later, when I visited him at clinic, I thought, "if all doctors could spend an evening with their patients around a fireplace - the doctor-patient relationship would be transformed."

We include an article that Stu wrote on the history of diabetes camping in this month's newsletter because it's important to keep track of our beginnings and the transitions we've made along the way.  You'll see familiar names in this article - people, like Stu Brink and Sam Wentworth, who have been around diabetes camping for a long time.  We applaud them.  Hats off, Stu, for documenting our precious work.  Let's keep the fire burning and bring more people to the fireside to spend quality time with friends and family - and to share diabetes in an intimate, empowering way.

--
Shelley D Yeager, MA, LCSW
Director of Outreach and Development

Caring For Camps 2011 Year in Review

*Download the Newsletter PDF

Summer has come and gone, but the important work of fun and discovery continues at diabetes camps nationwide. We’ve heard from so many people involved in the camp experience how important diabetes summer camps are to them, their children and their neighbors, and that’s why Lilly Diabetes continues to support organizations like the Diabetes Education and Camping Association and the American Diabetes Association.

Based on camp director feedback from last summer, we continued many of our most popular camp programs this year. We also rolled out a few new things that camp directors suggested, like a variety of colors and size options for the L.L. Bean® bookpacks, to help improve
the camp experience.

It is our hope that you continue to find our programs beneficial for the children and families your camp serves. It’s been our privilege to provide volunteers, medicines and other diabetes supplies, as well as guest speakers and educational materials that support diabetes camps and help children in dealing with everyday experiences with diabetes.

Karen Wurster
Senior Director, US Lilly Diabetes Strategy

*Submitted by Lilly Diabetes for Inclusion in this Publication

TrialNet Thanks DECA for Summer Screening Success

TrialNet looks to collaborate in 2012 with DECA on important research that is working to find a way to prevent Type 1 Diabetes.

This past summer, 98 DECA camps hosted Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet screenings, and 1,568 family members of campers were tested for risk of type 1 diabetes. Screening rates at camps have increased over last three years. DECA’s support helped TrialNet reach an important milestone in 2011: 10 years, and 100,000 people screened.

“We are grateful for the Diabetes Education and Camping Association’s continued support and endorsement,” says Annie Abraham, TrialNet recruitment coordinator at the University of Florida. “Every year, more families are learning about TrialNet through DECA, and more diabetes camping organizations are inviting us to screen at camp.”

Camp Kudzu, in Georgia, hosted the most productive camp screening, with 63 people screened in one day. Other top screening events of 2011 were hosted by Camp Lo-Be-Gon, Okla. (53 screened in one day); Camp Carefree, N.H. (40); Camp Winona, Fla. (32); Camp Nejeda, N.J. (31); Camp War Eagle, Ark. (30); Camp Joslin and Camp Clara Barton, Mass. (30); and Camp Conrad-Chinnock, Calif. (24).

TrialNet anticipates another successful camp season in 2012, with a goal of screening 2,000 people. In January, TrialNet will send camp directors flyers to include in outreach mailings. Then even families who cannot participate in camp will learn about TrialNet and the opportunity to be screened. In the spring, TrialNet will send camp directors flyers with dates and locations of actual screening events.

“Families tell us they appreciate the opportunity to participate in research at camp,” says Abraham. “The effort is truly shared and a great example of the cooperative spirit that diabetes camp represents.”

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