Whanau are asked for a koha of $20.00 to contribute towards the costs of the camp. This money goes toward a gift that each child receives on the Certificate of attendance ceremony night which occurs after the last evening meal we have altogether at the camp. The hire of the camp facility and the petrol vouchers for the volunteers that come to help in the kitchen is covered by Health Fund PLUS as are the vouchers given to the people who visit to facilitate activities with the children.This year Sport Northland came and ran a session of high energy games. They returned after being a big success with the kids as part of the camp last year. We also had Mereana Pou a flax weaver come in and make flax flowers and flax fish with the children, St Johns Kids in schools, and John and Flash from MoreFM with Countdown come in and talk and interview the kids. This interview was played on air the next day on the morning show. And of course we took advantage of the beautiful surroundings at the Manaia Baptist camp grounds in Taurikura Whangarei Heads with swimming and the slippery slide. Another fun activity is the craft making that the staff run with the kids. This year the kids made pumice and shell mobiles, hats and face masks and the cards which are used to thank those that run the activities and presented to them post their activity.The camp is well staffed with a 24 hour roster set up to ensure the children diabetes cares are managed in a safe environment. The staffing consists of Clinical Nurse specialists from the NDHB Diabetes service providing 24 care, the NDHB Child Health dietician, a Paediatric registrar and support from the Paediatricians that run the Paediatric diabetes clinics so know all the children attending these camps.The camp not only gives the children the chance to meet and reunite with others their own age with health issues but is often the learning ground for these children to accomplish another diabetes task they have not been doing prior to attending, for example one child is now giving her own insulin injections after seeing her peers already doing this task, and children are given the opportunity to try foods that are not in their whanau home. The camp also gives their parents a well-deserved break from the continual monitoring of their child’s diabetes.The importance of these camps is well documented in research highlighting the importance for the child’s psychological well-being.To donate to the 2022 Diabetes Youth Camp click on the link below and choose Health Fund PLUS - Diabetes on the preferred fund to donate to:Make a Donation Today - Northland Foundation (northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz)For the Media Release click here: Media-Release-Diabetes Youth Kids Camp 2021 Fund - 030321
