About the Nonprofit
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Our Mission is to lead the fight against diabetes by helping people living with the disease lead healthy lives while we invest in research toward a cure. Our Mandate is to raise awareness about the seriousness of diabetes, its complications and 24/7 management required to remain healthy.
Summer camp is part of the magic of childhood – making memories with new friendships, building
greater confidence, and developing new-found independence. But what about kids with type 1
diabetes, must they miss out?
Diabetes Canada runs 12 camps across 9 provinces, called D-camps, are designed specifically for
children with type 1 diabetes. All campers’ costs are partially subsidized, and fully subsidized for
those who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend. In Onatrio, Camp Huronda and Camp Discovery,
host over 1000 children and youth campers each summer and are all about creating a sense of
community and inclusion while providing a safe and fun camp experience. For many campers, it
may be the first time they’ve been away from home. Some have been newly diagnosed while
others have been facing the challenges of this chronic disease for years.
On average in Canada, there are only two children with type 1 diabetes per school, which can leavethem feeling isolated. For most of the activities they participate in, they are the only child with type1 diabetes. For many children, D-Camps are the only place where they get to spend time with otherchildren who are facing the same challenges. Running D-Camps is a significant undertaking, requiring 24/7 specialized medical support at every session of every camp, trucking in healthy foods, sugar tablets, glucose test strips and more. Campequipment such as canoes, life jackets, ping pong balls, craft supplies all add up. The actual cost toattend D-Camp is $2,500 per camper. With the help of generous supporters, these costs aresubsidized for all families. Diabetes Canada also offers additional financial assistance to families inneed. With your support, no child or family is ever turned away from D-Camps due to financial hardship. Since 1953, Diabetes Canada has provided the D-Camps program to children and youth living with type 1 diabetes. D-Camps is a place where they can indulge in their sense of fun and adventure without experiencing stigma about their disease, all while receiving the medical care they need. It’s
a place where they can just be kids.
I hope you will consider Diabetes Canada as your charity of choice and be a hero to kids in your
community affected by type 1 diabetes by helping to send them to camp by providing Wonderland Tickets for our silent Auction Table.
