The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) is excited to announce the return to in-person ADA Camps for the Summer season of 2022, with staggered registration beginning on February 16, 2022.
“Young people have gone through a lot during the pandemic, and the ADA knows it is vitally important to get children back to doing what they do best–meeting new friends and enjoying activities together in a safe environment,” said Charles D. Henderson, Chief Development Officer of the ADA. “Our ADA Camps offer a traditional summer camp experience, while giving children the chance to develop basic diabetes self-management skills. At camp, children connect with others facing the same circumstances, build their confidence, and overcome feelings of isolation they’ve experienced during the pandemic.”
The ADA offers 31 day and overnight camps each summer to over 3,000 youth living with diabetes across the United States. Registration began on the 16th of February in some locations and will open in other areas in March. The objectives of ADA Camps are to:
- Educate children living with diabetes, their caregivers, and health care professionals about diabetes management, tips, tools, and living well with diabetes
- Engage campers and their families in activities and sessions throughout the summer
- Connect children with one another, reduce feelings of isolation, increase social skills, improve confidence and independence in diabetes management, and foster friendships for life
COVID continues to have an impact on how we all live–especially people with diabetes–and in particular, on how we run summer camps.
“Our number one priority is the health and safety of every child, volunteer, and employee that attend and work at our camps. The climate we are currently in is fluid and ever-changing. Therefore, we follow the science and have guidelines and safety measures in place to protect the health and wellbeing of the children who look forward to this experience every summer,” said Dr. Robert Gabbay, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for the ADA.
The ADA follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance and the recommendations for the American Academy of Pediatrics that COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool to protect the health and safety of Americans and lessen the severity of illness, which has taken a staggering toll on people living with diabetes and other underlying health conditions. Therefore, immunization against COVID will be required for all people at camps in 2022, including campers, paid and volunteer medical staff, except where prohibited by state laws.
To register for ADA Camps, click here.
About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 81 years the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the over 133 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
SOURCE American Diabetes Association
