As I look forward to yet another year volunteering at Camp Soles, I am saddened that there are children that will miss out on attending camp due to lack of volunteers. There is nothing more rewarding or exhausting than volunteering at your local diabetes camp. Volunteering at camp does not need to be the entire week. You can volunteer for a day, a few days, or the entire week. Like the children you make friendships and connections that last well beyond the boundaries of camp.
It is a week filled with night rounds for BS testing at midnight and 3 am, medication dosing at 8 am, 12 pm, 5 pm, and 9 pm, and being medical staff for daily activities. I am always excited to see campers return year to year to observe their maturity in their care of diabetes as well as meeting the first-time camper who is new to the world of diabetes self-care. For many this is a time for them to flourish and learn how to inject into a new site, insert their insulin pump site for the first time or even try a new site location, and explore other options for diabetes care like CGM and insulin pump technology all while enjoying the wonderful camp experience.
Diabetes camp is unique in the fact that you have camp counselors as well as diabetes counselors. The camp counselors oversee the activities and daily camp life while the diabetes counselors are there to manage all aspects of diabetes care like obtaining finger sticks, treatment of hyper/hypoglycemia, assistance with insulin administration at meals, and any other issues that may arise. The camp counselors are usually anxious to learn about diabetes and some wear insulin pump sets and CGM devices to experience how their camper’s live day to day life.
So, my challenge if you chose to accept it is to find a local diabetes camp and volunteer. I promise you won’t regret it. Diabetes camps in PA include Camp Courage, Camp Freedom, Camp Possibilities, Camp Fitch, Camp Setebaid, and Keystone Diabetes Camp. Please consider being a volunteer at camp so all the children that desire to attend camp will have the opportunity to do so.
Tammie Payne
WPLNG Co-chair