N.L. campers having 'amazing time' at special diabetes camp

About 50 kids from across Newfoundland and Labrador are together this week at a special camp in Holyrood, that's meant to be both a week of summer fun and also a way to learn more about the common bond they all share: living with Type 1 diabetes.

Camp Douwanna — known to campers and staff simply as "D-Camp" — is a one-week camp organized through the Canadian Diabetes Association that has been a staple in this province since 1964, and in its third year at the Lavrock Centre, about 45 minutes outside St. John's.

"We try to teach them as many life lessons as wecan while they are here, in terms of managing their diabetes. So they can come to camp and learn how to safely play a game of soccer baseball and mange their blood sugars at the same time," camp manager Lara Abramson told CBC News.

D Camp also includes also other educational components during the week, like managing the disease in different life situations like sleep overs or parties.

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"You get to learn more about your diabetes and play different games that has to do with diabetes," said 10-year-old Emma Vokey of Cupids, an enthusiastic D-Camp veteran with three summers under her belt.

Lifelong friendships

Abramson herself has Type 1 diabetes, as do many of the other staff and counsellors, like 20-year-old Mark Rice of Paradise.

"At home you're kind of doing everything on your own, but when you come to camp you have 50-plus other people living with the same chronic illness. So if you don't know yourself, you have other people to ask. You can compare stories, you can compare strategies," he said, adding the best part of his job is "seeing all the campers having an amazing time."

Camper Maggie Peckford of Corner Brook agrees.

"It's a good experience because you don't really know people with diabetes [at home], so you can learn, get more friends with diabetes here," she said.

"I think the biggest thing about coming to diabetes camp is more about the lifelong friendships that you make. Certainly living with a disease like diabetes can be very difficult. It's a lifestyle disease, so these kids really rely on each other, not just this week, but for the rest of their lives," said Abramson.

The camp started Sunday and wraps up Friday morning.