We really glad we’ve been able to make a very small donation to Camp Diabetes to help with the running of their camps.

We recognise that our small contribution is well short of what the Camp needs but share the following story in the hope that others may get on board.

Camp Diabetes is the Queensland Health Camping Programme designed to meet the needs of children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes as well as their parents and carers.

Camp Diabetes was established in 2002 by Diabetes Educators Christine Sheehan and Julie Pearson and the inaugural week long camp held at Alexandra Headlands with 45 children aged 9 – 12 years from all over Queensland was a roaring success.

Camp Diabetes has grown to between 6 – 8 camps each year. These camps include:

• Camp Diabetes – Jelly Beans. Weekend camps for parents and children aged 0 -8 years
• Camp Diabetes – Young Guns – and action packed weekend camp for teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes aged 13 – 18 years (no parents allowed)
• Camp Diabetes Sleepover Camp – a great introduction to the Diabetes camp experience for children aged 9 – 12 who may be anxious to spend a whole week away from home (no parents allowed)
• And the flagship of the Camp Diabetes Programme – the themed 9 – 12 camp where a minimum of 60 children from all over Queensland and interstate spend a week learning more about their Diabetes in a fun and supportive environment. Each September during the school holidays, the QCCC Mapleton resounds from the sounds of the happy campers as one of the four themed camps take place. During the camp there is never a shortage of fun activities to so such as Red Faces Night, Movie nights (complete with the big screen and popcorn), Boys Club, Girls Beauty Salon, Beach Party, outings, visiting ‘celebrities’ as well as lots of art, games, swimming, eating, singing, dancing and most importantly fun, fun, fun.

While camp provides a wonderful opportunity for health professionals to see Type 1 Diabetes in action, it cannot be underestimated the positive effect for the parents of children aged 9 – 18 years who are given ‘time out’ from the 24 hours a day routine of diabetes and for parents of children aged 8 and under, who are given the opportunity to meet and share their experience of Diabetes with other parents. It is surprising how many children have never met another child with Diabetes and the young campers are often amazed when they arrive at camp to find that the majority of people, including staff also have diabetes. The benefit of positive peer pressure cannot be underestimated and many children (in the 9 – 12 camps) will learn to do their own blood glucose testing and draw up and give their own insulin injections for the very first time under the watchful eye of their diabetes educator and support of other campers.

Children attending the camps are encouraged to come back to work at camp as staff members and there is a very long list of campers waiting until they are old enough (15 years) to enjoy this honour.

Camp Diabetes is fortunate to have a dedicated team of health professionals and volunteers who give their time so generously to work and promote the camps. Current staff includes, Diabetes Educators, Doctors, Dietitians, Exercise Physiologists, Social Worker, Special Education Teacher, Ambulance Officer and lots of young teenagers and adults with Type 1 Diabetes who act as wonderful role models for the campers. It is interesting to note that the staff with Type 1 Diabetes have formed positive support networks for themselves from their camp experience.

While Camp Diabetes is a Queensland Health Programme it is a requirement that it run at cost neutral to Queensland Health, but the reality is, that it costs more than $50,000.00 each year for the camps to continue, so major fundraising is always on the agenda. This is perhaps the reason why you always see the Diabetes Centre conducting fundraising events such as seminars, raffles etc.

It is hoped that Camp Diabetes will continue for many, many years yet and that the benefits of the camping programme for these children will result in happy, psychologically well adjusted young adults. Perhaps the best feedback received about the camp was from one of the children who told us “I hope they never find a cure for Diabetes, because that will mean there will not be any more camps!”

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