Diabetes Canada has wrapped up another season of summer fun for kids with type 1 diabetes at Camp Kakhamela, the facility it shares with the YMCA’s Camp Elphinstone in Langdale.
Diabetes Canada has been running its D-Camp program since 1953, and Kakhamela is one of 12 overnight camps in the country.
Ted Lockie, senior manager of camp operations, said the three sessions between July 2 and 14 drew around 156 campers from all across B.C. and farther afield. “We even have one camper from Washington State, and two campers from the Northwest Territories,” he said. “We’re the only camp specifically for kids living with type 1 [diabetes] in all of B.C.”
Lockie said the D-Camps are a rare opportunity for kids to take part in all the traditional summer camp activities without the worry of trying to manage their condition in a new setting.
“We have a medical team that can help those campers with the daily steps required to manage their diabetes safely,” he said. “In terms of the social value of our program, type 1 is a relatively rare chronic condition … so that can lead to feelings of isolation. Coming to a camp full of folks living with type 1 really helps to foster self-esteem and build friendships with kids who have similar life experience, and we think that’s of crucial value to our campers and their families.”
Lockie also said that despite how rare type 1 diabetes is, there is steady demand for spaces at the camp. “We’re constantly growing. 1962 was the first camp in British Columbia for kids with type 1 diabetes, and 30 kids came to that [camp]. Now, we’re at almost 200.”
There’s one more camp session coming up in late August, which is designed for families. “We’re almost at 180 people coming, which makes it by far our biggest family camp program in the country.”
Find out more at www.dcamps.ca or call Diabetes Canada at 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).
