Camp Dia-Best offers kids fun, education
Published Wednesday March 25th, 2009
Delicious fundraiser | The Canadian Diabetes Association's 10th annual Wine and Food Fest, taking place Saturday, April 4, raises money for Camp Dia-Best
Learning that you have diabetes can be a life changing moment, no matter how old you are.
But when you're a kid, it can truly turn your world upside down at a time when all you want to be is like everybody else.
Now 14, Chris Kileel was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 10 years old. He admits he was shaken up when he heard that, as were his parents.
"I was angry, a little bit," he remembers.
Since then, he's learned a lot about diabetes, thanks in part to attending Camp Dia-Best for the past few years. He went for the first time when he was 11.
"I didn't know what I was getting into in the beginning, because it was my first time ever going to camp. I liked it more than I thought I was going to like it," he says. "The week before I didn't want to go, but when I got there I actually had a really good time."
Camp Dia-Best is a week-long camp put on each year by the Canadian Diabetes Association. It gives kids between the ages of seven and 16 the chance to have a true camp experience in a safe environment.
It's a great balance between fun and education, helping kids manage their diabetes and become more independent, while enjoying all the regular camp activities.
"There are always people around you trying to teach you. You're not going to go low because there is someone supervising. You're safe there," says Kileel.
He might not have wanted to go at first, but it wasn't long after he arrived that first year before he was looking forward to coming again the next summer.
Kileel liked everything about Camp Dia-Best.
"There are kids in the same boat as you. They're normal, they're not different, just like any other kid," he says. "You go boating, you go sailing, you play games, you play with any different age group, people who don't judge you."
He's made friends all over the province, including some in the city who also have diabetes.
In real life, he says, "you have to hide the fact" that you have Type 1 diabetes, but at camp everyone does so you're normal.
Camp Dia-Best has been such a great experience for Kileel that he wants to apply to be a leader in training this year.
"The leader in training program is almost a graduation program for the kids that are in the 15-16 age group," says Stéphane Richard, manager for camps and youth programs. "They come back to the camp for a 2 1/2 week program where they learn a lot of initiatives, communication skills, community-based skills and counselling skills."
The eventual goal is to take the kids from being campers to being a potential staff member at the camp.
Camp Dia-Best is just one of the many programs being offered by the Canadian Diabetes Association as it works to help people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, says Richard.
The overall goal of the association is awareness, education, research and advocacy, he says.
"Our learning series is something we're really strongly behind, where we go out to different communities and we deliver presentations about diabetes. We have learning series for children as well and we go into the education sector and go into schools and talk to kids (in K-12) about diabetes and diabetes management."
While this is certainly helpful to people living with diabetes, it also helps raise public awareness, as a lot of kids and adults know someone living with diabetes.
On March 28, the association is holding an education event called Living Well With Diabetes. Two speakers will address this issue at the Delta Fredericton between 12:30-4:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. Admission is $5. For more information, contact the local office of the Canadian Diabetes Association.
"Another thing we're looking at doing is Breakfast for Learning, a community-driven activity so people can come in and learn more about the association," says Richard.
Another area staff concentrate on in New Brunswick is advocacy, working closely with the government to help those living with Type 1, Type 2 diabetes.
"On a national front we have a strong network in the research sector of diabetes as well, investing $6 million every year," says Richard.
To be able to serve the community, the Canadian Diabetes Association holds fundraisers throughout the year.
One of those is the annual Wine and Food Fest, taking place at the Delta Fredericton on April 4, which raises money for Camp Dia-Best.
"There are two wine tastings. We're really trying to promote the afternoon one as being educationally based," says Joanne Reid, event co-ordinator with the annual Wine and Food Fest.
Doug Williams from the Garrison District Ale House is a sommelier and will be doing some wine seminars during the afternoon session.
Tickets for the afternoon session, which runs from 2-5 p.m., are $50 and tickets for the evening session, from 7-10 p.m., are $60.
Besides having the opportunity to taste 150 wines from around the world, participants can sample gourmet food prepared by the Delta Fredericton and vote for the Best of Fest awards for their favourite red and white wine rep.
"It's a fun event. We promote it as the premiere spring event," says Reid.
"The other side of the coin is that it is a fundraiser for a very good cause."
Each year, 65 campers from around the province get to go to Camp Dia-Best, says Richard.
"It's a great environment for them to come and meet other kids living with diabetes and also it's a great place to learn more independence and education about diabetes."
He adds, "Camp is a great recreational place, it's a great educational place, but it's also quite expensive."
Right now, the fee to go to camp for each of the kids is around $250, he says, but the true cost is around $1,000 per camper.
The Wine and Food Fest is now in its 10th year and it gets bigger and better each time, says Reid.
"This year we've added some educational wine and food pairing dinners at four restaurants in town," she says.
The restaurants are BrewBakers, The Blue Door, Garrison District Ale House and Bruno's.
"That's on April 1, and a portion of the proceeds from those dinners come back to CDA in the form of a donation," she says.
The fact that the event is still going strong 10 years in is worthy of note, says Jeff Campbell, development officer with the Canadian Diabetes Association.
"It still sells out every year, so we really have to thank the people of Fredericton for coming out and supporting us, and all our sponsors, especially our grand marque sponsor this year, Estate Financial (and Standard Life)," he says.
To learn more about diabetes or the Canadian Diabetes Association, visit www.diabetes.ca.
If you know someone living with diabetes who falls in the camp age group of seven to 16, visit the website to learn more about Camp Dia-Best.
To purchase tickets to the Wine and Food Fest, drop by the local Canadian Diabetes Association office at 61 Carleton St., Read's Newsstand and Café or the Delta Fredericton.
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