Camp Kudzu Inc

CAMP KUDZU'S MISSION IS TO EDUCATE, EMPOWER AND INSPIRE CHILDREN AND TEENS LIVING WITH T1D. THROUGH ITS CAMP AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, CAMP KUDZU CHANGES YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES. WITHOUT THE LESSONS LEARNED AND PRACTICED AT CAMP KUDZU, MANY CHILDREN LACK ACCESS TO DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND WOULD HAVE INCREASED RISK FOR SERIOUS MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS AND/OR SHORTENED LIFE SPANS. CAMP KUDZU IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH BEGAN PROVIDING MEDICAL SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, RECREATION AND PEER-NETWORKING PROGRAMS IN THE YEAR 2000. IT WAS FORMED IN 1999 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA BY PARENTS, DOCTORS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO JOINED FORCES TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND MEDICAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES IN A FUN ENVIRONMENT MARKED BY CLINICAL OVERSIGHT AND DIRECTION.

THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR WAS A RETURN TO YEAR-ROUND (IN-PERSON) PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS. OVER THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, CAMP KUDZU HOSTED THREE WEEK-LONG RESIDENTIAL (SLEEPAWAY) PROGRAMS AT MORE TYPICAL CAPACITY WITH ABOUT 80% PARTICIPATION. WE ALSO HOSTED A 5-DAY -- ONE-DAY-CAMP PROGRAM FOR YOUNGER CAMPERS, AGED 5-8 YEARS OLD, A TEEN RETREAT WEEKEND, TWO FAMILY CAMP WEEKENDS, AND 10 KUDZU ONE-DAY EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF GEORGIA. FULLY STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS- MANY OF THEM LIVING WITH T1D THEMSELVES- CAMP KUDZU PROGRAMS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN A LIFETIME OF PROPER DISEASE MANAGEMENT. OUR PROGRAMS HAVE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS PRESENT TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE, EDUCATION AND HELP FAMILIES MANAGE DAY TO DAY CHALLENGES AND COPYING SKILLS FOR FAMILY AND SCHOOL LIFE. AS PART OF OUR MULTIYEAR OUTCOMES RESEARCH PROJECT- NOW IN YEAR 5- DATA STILL SHOW THAT YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES GROW AND ARE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY SUPPORTED BY PARTICIPATING IN A CAMP KUDZU PROGRAM. PROVEN TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. CAMP KUDZU CONTINUES TO YIELD HIGH SATISFACTION AND PROVES TO BE STATICALLY RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT IN SHAPING THE LIVES AND SUPPORTING THE BROADER T1D COMMUNITY.OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE OUR SUMMER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND CAMP KUDZU HOSTED 3 WEEKS OF SLEEP AWAY CAMP AND MINI (SPLIT WEEK) AS PART OF OUR 3RD SUMMER SESSION. A TOTAL OF 476 CAMPERS ATTENDED JUST OUR SUMMER SESSIONS AND MORE THAN 636 CAMPERS PARTICIPATED IN OUR YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS WITH 163 NEW CAMPERS/FAMILIES PARTICIPATING FOR THE FIRST TIME (25%).

CAMP KUDZU HOSTED THREE FAMILY WEEKEND CAMPS, ONE IN THE FALL AND TWO SPRING PROGRAMS AND SERVED 47 FAMILIES THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. THESE WEEKEND PROGRAMS PROVIDED EDUCATION, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY FOR FAMILIES WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED CHILDREN OR CHILDREN TOO YOUNG TO ATTEND SUMMER CAMP, AS WELL AS FAMILIES WHO NEED ONGOING SUPPORT SINCE THEIR CHILDREN'S DIABETES HAS NO CURE OR END DATE. AT FAMILY WEEKEND CAMPS, THE CHILDREN ENJOYED THE FUN OF CAMP WHILE THE WHOLE FAMILY RECEIVED VITAL DIABETES MANAGEMENT EDUCATION AND COPING SKILLS FOR FAMILY AND SCHOOL LIFE. MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WERE ON SITE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND TO DELIVER DIABETES MANAGEMENT INFORMATION AND TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT DIET, ACTIVITY, AND EMERGING TRENDS IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL. FAMILIES HAD THE CHANCE TO CONNECT AND DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS THAT CAN SUSTAIN THEM LONG AFTER THE WEEKEND ENDS.

OUR TEEN WEEKEND PROGRAMING INCLUDES OUR "TEEN RETREAT" WEEKEND AND IS OFFERED TO PARTICIPANTS IN 7TH TO 11TH GRADE AND HAS GROWN IN PARTICIPATION IN RECENT YEARS. FOR THE WINTER 2021 PROGRAM, WE WERE REQUIRED TO LIMIT PARTICIPATION DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND HOSTED NEARLY 50 CAMPERS. THIS WEEKEND OVERNIGHT PROGRAM PROVIDES THE CO-ED EXPERIENCE OF CAMP WITH FUN AND EDUCATION FOCUSED ON SKILLS REQUIRED TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION TO YOUNG ADULTS. PROFESSIONALS ARE ON SITE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND TO DELIVER DIABETES MANAGEMENT INFORMATION AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT DIET, ACTIVITY AND EMERGING TRENDS IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL. TEENS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT AND DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS THAT CAN SUSTAIN THEM YEAR-ROUND.

WHEN A CHILD IS DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES, FAMILIES MUST LEARN HOW TO MANAGE THE CONDITION ON A DAILY BASIS. EDUCATION STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WITH INFORMATION TO ABSORB AND SKILLS TO BE PRACTICED. THE LEARNING PROCESS INTRODUCES PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO AN ARRAY OF MEDICAL WORDS AND TERMS THAT DESCRIBE DIABETES AND HOW TO MANAGE DAY TO DAY; INSULINS, KETONES, SHOTS, POKES, TESTS, SUGARS, HIGHS AND LOWS, REACTIONS, CONTROL. THESE WORDS BECOME A PART OF EVERYDAY LANGUAGE IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY'S SCHEDULE IS FORMED AROUND DIABETES MANAGEMENT. CAMP KUDZU RECOGNIZES THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT TYPE 1 DIABETES HAS ON THE ENTIRE FAMILY, A MOVE TO OFFER THREE FAMILY CAMPS, INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 2 EACH YEAR, HAPPENED. THERE WERE 47 FAMILIES TOTALING 184 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE OF THE PROGRAMS. CAMP KUDZU'S FAMILY CAMP IS A FUN-FILLED, EDUCATIONAL AND NETWORKING WEEKEND FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY --CHILDREN OF ALL AGES WITH DIABETES, THEIR PARENTS AND SIBLINGS. THIS IS A PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN TOO YOUNG TO ATTEND SUMMER CAMP AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RECENTLY DIAGNOSED. FAMILY CAMP IS A TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DIABETES, HAVE FUN AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME CHALLENGES OF LIVING WITH DIABETES PARENTS TELL US THAT THE PARENT EDUCATION SESSIONS ARE THEIR FAVORITE PART OF THE WEEKEND. WE BRING IN DIABETES EXPERTS (ENDOCRINOLOGISTS, DIABETES EDUCATORS AND DIETITIANS) TO TALK WITH OUR PARENTS ABOUT LATEST DIABETES TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER HOT TOPICS. PARENTS HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE EXPERTS ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THEY ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW, BUT NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO ASK.AT FAMILY CAMP, CHILDREN WITH DIABETES SEE THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE. SIBLINGS FEEL INCLUDED. PARENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THEIR CHILD. PARENTS RECEIVE LIFE-SAVING EDUCATION ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE THEIR CHILD'S DIABETES, AND CHILDREN THOSE WITH DIABETES AS WELL AS THEIR SIBLINGS CREATE AN ESSENTIAL SUPPORT NETWORK. CHILDREN ENJOY ACTIVITIES UNDER VOLUNTEER SUPERVISION WHILE LEARNING MORE ABOUT DIABETES DURING THE WEEKEND.