Making new friends and memories at the Diabetes UK Camp supported by our Children’s Hospital colleagues
Last month (13 May 2022), 29 of our young people from our Children’s Hospital took a trip to the Pioneer Centre, in Cleobury Mortimer for the Diabetes UK Camp - staffed by our Children’s Hospital colleagues. Our patients were able to take part in a whole host of exciting activities; including high ropes, an inflatable challenge course, abseiling, zip wiring, caving, raft building and topping it all with a cosy campfire to conclude the weekend.
27 out of 29 of our children who attended were on sensors to monitor their blood sugar (Continuous Glucose Monitoring), often making physical pursuits more challenging to take part in. The aim of the camp initiative was to encourage children to venture out of their restricted patterns of behavior, to experience life without having their conditions that may have previously, hold them back. Our nurses, support workers and volunteers joined together to find new ways to keep our kids active; helping them to experience activities that they may have previously been unable to do.
Mum of 8-year-old Ava who attended the camp said; “It was an amazing experience that our daughter absolutely loved! Thank you so much for organising - she can’t wait to attend the next one.” Another parent shared with our Diabetes team that “the diabetes camp has given my child the confidence to have a sleepover at a friend's house for the first time since being diagnosed” which we were overjoyed to hear. 
The trip was an adventure to remember for many of our children, where they were able to make new friendships and build confidence in physical pursuits but also in new social settings. Kirsty Mobberly, Diabetes Nurse who has helped to organise these events said, “When the kids realise that they are not the alone, that there are others who have to live their life juggling all the elements of diabetes, they make friends who really know what it is like”.
Louise Collins, another Nurse who supported the camp reflected on a heartfelt moment that she treasured during the weekend, “the fits of giggles around the campfire from the children, and just looking at them all and seeing the immense enjoyment and happiness they radiated.”
To conclude the weekend of fun, one of our consultants Dr Renuka Dias shared “it was actually a truly humbling experience to see how much they have to do for their diabetes and try to be a kid too. Major kudos to all of them!” We continue to be inspired by our patients’ incredible spirit and positivity through some truly challenging experiences that children go through with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.