-News Release-
Since 1994, Kiki’s Kids Camp has provided four full days of fun, camaraderie, and education for children and teens who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The camp is sponsored by FloydSpirit Foundation (formerly Floyd Healthcare Foundation) and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center.
This year’s camp was held June 1-4 at Darlington School’s Huffman Athletic Center for youth between the ages of 6 and 12.
Campers learn about nutrition, diabetes management, independence, and self-discipline from trained clinicians and volunteers. Kiki’s offers traditional day camp activities, including crafts and swimming.
Teens ages 13-17 who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes can attend as junior counselors/counselors-in-training. Calhoun’s Emily Dupree is one of those who continues to return to help with the younger campers. She has attended every year since 2016.
For Emily, it’s not just about lending a hand; she said she gets something out of it too.
“I like the community feeling,” she said. “There are people who have shared experiences with me, and I really care about that,” Emily said. “I also really like the arts and crafts.”
Most of the misconceptions about kids with diabetes concern food, more specifically, sweet treats.
“People think that because I have diabetes, I can’t eat sugar. I get that all the time,” Dupree said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, I know you can’t have this candy bar, so I got you some crackers.’”
Like most kids, Emily wants the candy bar, not the crackers. And if she follows what she has learned at camp, she can enjoy an occasional candy bar.
The camp said farewell this year to Sudie Gordy, who served as the clinical nutrition manager for Kiki’s Kids Camp for 33 years. Most campers know her as the person who serves fantastic, themed snacks twice a day.
“We discuss portion control with them and make sure they know how to take their medications,” Gordy said. “It’s really rewarding when you see they know how to manage their diets. And they take a lot of pride in being able to do things their friends can do.”
Kiki’s Kids Camp is funded by a planned gift from the estate of the late Angelique (Kiki) Petropole, a pediatric nurse in Rome for over 30 years who had diabetes. She had a special place in her heart for children with Type 1 diabetes, and when she passed away in December of 1992, she left a portion of her estate to help fund the camp, which has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of youth with Type 1 diabetes.
For more information on Kiki’s Kids Camp, visit Kiki’s Kids Camp | Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic or call the FloydSpirit Foundation at 706-509-3290.
