Camp Trios Begins July 23

​Camp Trios, a three-day summer day camp program for children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, begins tomorrow, July 23, at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex.

Campers aged 6 to 14 years old will learn how to manage their Type 1 Diabetes through educational, age-appropriate activities led by Trios Health staff members, trained physicians and other healthcare providers. Additionally, mentors aged 15 to 18 years old, will assist the campers. Some of the mentors are previous campers.

Camp Trios began as a long-term goal to one day have a local camp for the growing number of children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Originally launched in 2012 as Camp KGH, it has grown since its inception from about 20 participants to more than 50. 

“Often we get kids in who have been newly diagnosed and they aren’t sure about what they can do,” said Christy Kuhn, Trios Health Environmental Services Director. “But when they see all these other kids running, playing, eating and doing all the stuff they want to do, it makes them see that it’s possible.”

Goals of Camp Trios are to educate children regarding their diabetes, while promoting independence, self-discipline and responsibility; offer opportunities for children and families to meet others who are facing the same challenges; provide an ongoing network of resources to support children with Type 1 Diabetes and their families; empower children to recognize limitless opportunities when diabetes is properly managed, and build lifelong relationships between the children, staff, volunteers and parents/guardians. 

Camp Trios is backed by a lot of community support. The use of the Southridge Sports and Events complex has been donated by the City of Kennewick, the Kennewick Public Hospital District donated $10,000 to help fund Camp Trios this year, the Trios Health Auxiliary made and donated cooler collars for the campers to use, and Trios Health medical staff are donating their time. Additional donors include Knockerball Corporate & Knockerball Tri-Cities, Sight & Sound Services, Tetra Tech, Up Balloon Boutique, Yoke’s Fresh Market (Kennewick), Roaster’s Coffee, Tri-Cities Court Club, Subway Tri-Cities, Rick Riel ReaLife Photography, Knights Templar Mason – Floyd Snyder, and Team Up for Type 1 Diabetes.

To learn more about the mission, objectives, program and activities of Camp Trios, visit: http://www.trioshealth.org/news-events/camp-trios/.