Diabetes Kids Camp Back At Its Best
“This is the best. I’m definitely coming back next year” was overheard coming from one of the kids at this year’s Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Northland Diabetes Youth Camp in Whangārei at the end of last week.
The annual event for children and teenagers with diabetes had not been held for several years since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-organiser Jaime-Lee Boylan, a Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Diabetes Centre at Whangārei Hospital, said it was great to be able to run it again, this year at Parua Bay.
“It brings kids with diabetes together, coming from all over Northland. After some initial shyness and time to gain their confidence with each other, they’re away. Friendships are soon formed, and everyone supports each other. We adults particularly notice the older kids helping out the younger ones,” Jaime-Lee said.
“We have 23 kids at this year’s camp – some aged between nine and 13 who have only recently been diagnosed. We also have our camp mentors, we call them, who are aged between 14 and 16 and can self-manage their diabetes.
“The camp experience normalises a diabetes diagnosis and helps the kids feel at ease knowing they are not on their own. Some children, when they’re at school, tend to feel the need to be discreet when testing their blood sugar levels or injecting insulin. Here at camp, everyone does this together. It breaks the stigma around it.”
Jaime-Lee says the camp also links the kids’ parents, including a session to meet and discuss how they manage living with a young family member with diabetes. After the camp they can continue networking and providing support to each other.
Over the three-day camp there were various activities, some provided with support from local community organisations.
Sport Northland representatives ran a biking exercise, the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre ran an African drumming circle session, Northern Region Football ran a skills session, and a New Zealand Police dog handler and dog visited for a demonstration followed by a ‘meet and pat’.
The happy campers with the visiting police dog handlers and dogs.
African drumming circle of newfound friends.
Matthew Scott, 11, slips down the waterslide.
“We hope it’s been an unforgettable experience for our young diabetic community – memories and empowerment that will last a lifetime,” Jaime-Lee said.
In addition to support and resources from local businesses, the Northland Diabetes Youth Camp is made possible with financial support from Health Fund PLUS. This year the bulk of the funding came from a Whangarei Lions Club golf tournament fundraising event in March, with a top up from the Diabetes Youth Camp Endowment Fund established in 2021 thanks to a donation from the Tikipunga Children's Home Trust.
Health Fund PLUS
Health Fund PLUS is a partnership between Northland Community Foundation and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau, focusing on managing donations from our community and raising funds for projects beyond government funding. Projects such as enhancing healing spaces or purchasing nice-to-have items can make all the difference in providing the best quality healthcare possible.
The Health Fund PLUS partnership benefits the health needs of all Northlanders by focusing on giving for the good of many.
If you are interested in learning more about Health Fund PLUS, just phone 021 558 224 or email info@northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz
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