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As the rain let up on Friday afternoon, the children at Camp Hickory Hill enjoyed some outdoor games on their last full day of camp. The purpose of the Central Missouri Diabetic Children’s Camp, more commonly known as Camp Hickory Hill, is to educate children with diabetes about the illness and how to manage their own care.
It’s a place kids can meet other kids who have diabetes while learning how their daily activities affect their blood sugar levels, an important aspect of managing diabetes.
- Lee Miller, left, and Sarah Canavese weigh out food for snack time. Campers learn to track the number of carbohydrates they eat.
- One of the campers at Camp Hickory Hill checks his blood sugar.
“Our job is to teach kids how to measure food,” said camp volunteer Doug Phillips.
Phillips, whose son Ethan has diabetes, saves up his annual vacation days to help with the camp.
The days start at 7:30 a.m. with the children checking their blood sugar. Breakfast is followed by one hour of class taught by educators such as Danita Rife, a registered nurse and certified diabetes educator. Rife, who has helped every year with the camp, says it’s a rewarding experience.
“This is a place where they can really appreciate they’re not alone,” she said.
The kids participate in many activities throughout the day on the 77 acres of land owned by the nonprofit organization.
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