I never thought that at 27 years old, I would have gone to summer camp for the first time, but then I heard about Slipstreams. It may not be what comes to mind when you think summer camp, but to me it qualifies. It was a weekend put on by Connected in Motion and Beyond Type One. I drove up to Winslow, Maine where a traditional summer camp had been converted into a retreat for adults with T1D. There were over 80 of us in attendance, with ages ranging from 18 to 70 and included adults who were diagnosed less than a year ago, to those who don’t remember life before diagnosis. People traveled from out of town, out of state, and even out of country, to join in!

 

When it comes to conversations surrounding T1D it can be very clinical. From endo visits to explaining what that thing on your arm is to the person asking in line at the grocery store. Many of us don’t see other diabetics in our day to day lives, or have the opportunity to talk T1D in a social setting. That is what makes going to an adult camp so special. This weekend is not about lowering your A1C, but increasing your sense of adventure, and creating a warm and fuzzy feeling around type one, that can only uniquely be felt while zip lining with ten other people who are also wearing insulin pumps.

 

Seeing a camp full of people who are managing the same disease as you, bopping from yoga, to kayaking, grabbing a quick lunch, then going on a hike, reframes what may have been an excuse into an opportunity. On an average day getting moving can be difficult, throw in a low BG and it becomes a ‘why even bother?’ But at Slipstream, your 10 new friends, half of whom are already chugging a juice box, are going paddle boarding so you just treat and get to it! It is empowering to see so many insulin pumps, not getting in the way of what people want to accomplish. It is comforting to have your concerns and struggles echoed back to you from sleeping bags around the cabin as you’re drifting into sleep. And it is heartwarming to hug strangers who have quickly become friends, because they understand so much about you that cannot be easily put into words. Slipstream offers plenty of outdoor adventures, which is lovely if that is what you’re interested in, but what they really are offering is a sense of ‘I am not alone in this’, and anything from a slight nudge to a kick in the butt, towards what you can accomplish as a T1D. Which is anything your heart desires.

 

There are more opportunities for adults with T1D to attend retreats this year:

https://www.campnejeda.org/surviveandthrive

https://donate.beyondtype1.org/event/colorado-slipstream-2019/e212917

https://donate.beyondtype1.org/event/socal-slipstream-2019/e212916

 

As well as local camps for children with T1D looking to connect:

http://www.nbdiabetes.org/parents-children

https://www.campnejeda.org/

http://www.bartoncenter.org/

 

Or camps anywhere in the world:

https://www.diabetescamps.org/

 

By Shaylyn Maloney