Camp Blue Hawk

Send a child with type 1 diabetes to camp!

Camp Blue Hawk

Camp Blue Hawk is a 5-day residential camp for children with type 1 diabetes that focuses on improving our camper’s quality of life. We do this by: increasing patients’ confidence and diabetes self-management skills; enabling children with diabetes to meet and share their experiences with each other; providing respite for families of children with diabetes; and most of all, having fun! We are excited to offer a medically-safe camping environment, supervised by OU Harold Hamm Diabetes Center - Children’s board-certified pediatric endocrinologists, certified diabetes educators, nurses, registered dietitians, clinical psychologists, pharmacists, and medical counselors. These staff work together to create a camp experience that allows children with type 1 diabetes to connect with each other and learn valuable life skills, while also having the kind of fun associated with a summer camp, such as archery, hiking, arts and crafts, swimming, canoeing, ropes course and more.

The Need

Diabetes camps were the first illness-specific camps created; while the introduction of insulin changed what was once a terminal illness into a manageable disease, it required a tremendous amount of education to manage diabetes effectively. Camp Blue Hawk uses experiential and structured learning to instill self-discipline, promote self-confidence, and impart good disease management skills to prevent long-term health complications caused by type 1 diabetes. In addition, camp staff provide campers opportunities to work on character, self-esteem and self-confidence, all of which are critical components of child development and disease management. After the 2015 camp session, one parent said, “After coming home, he has been much more independent in self-care, such as treating lows with confidence and counting carbohydrates.”

In both our OKC and Tulsa clinics, we see a number of children who would benefit from camp, but cannot afford to pay for camp attendance. In fact, 53% of our patient population experience significant financial barriers to attending a summer camp. Because of this, we do not charge campers to attend. Instead, we rely on the generosity of donors like you to help us create a fun, educational camping experience for children with diabetes.

How can you help?

It costs about $1,000 to send a child to diabetes camp - between the fun, camp experience and the medical supplies, medications, and expert personnel required to run a safe camping experience. Please consider making a gift – any amount helps us send another camper to camp! Other ways you can help include sharing this campaign through your social media or email relationships, or volunteering your time! Every dollar, share, or volunteer hour go a long, long way towards helping children with this chronic illness. Thank you!!