Elliott P. Joslin Camps for Children with Diabetes
Encyclopedia
The Elliott P. Joslin Camps for Children with Diabetes located in Charlton, Massachusetts
combine diabetes education, treatment, and support with recreation, sports, and camping.
Seeing the success of this camp, Dr. Joslin convinced the organization to open a boys camp, The Elliott P. Joslin Camps for boys, in 1947. Dr. Joslin and his staff provided the medical supervision while numerous donors provided the financial support.
The logistics of operating the two camps became a burden and the women’s organization gave total control of the boy’s camp to the Joslin Diabetes Center
in 1976.
, near Old Sturbridge Village
. It sits on approximately 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land with a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) pond (Putnam Pond), and is located only three miles from The Clara Barton Camp in nearby Oxford, MA, with whom it frequently collaborates.
Summer camp is for boys between the ages of 6 and 16 and is divided into several two and one-week sessions.
Camp Joslin Staff consists of a camp director, administrative team, wilderness leadership experts, cabin counselors, recreation specialists, kitchen and maintenance staff and a 24-hour healthcare team that includes resident physician(s), nurses and nutritionists. The camp has a ratio of one counselor or medical professional to every three campers. Staff from Joslin Diabetes Center
in Boston, including pediatricians, pediatric nurses, psychologists and dietitians, also provide support to the camp team.
Notably, Chad Urmston
(of Dispatch
/State Radio
) was a counselor there in the summer of 2001.
Joslin-trained staff members with extensive experience in wilderness programming, leadership development and diabetes management lead the Wilderness Leadership Program. Staff includes healthcare professionals and Wilderness First Responder certified wilderness leaders.
(ACA) and is a member of the Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA).
Charlton, Massachusetts
Charlton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,981 at the 2010 census.- History :Charlton was first settled in 1735. It was established as a District separated off from Oxford on January 10, 1755, and became a Town in 1775 by a law that made all...
combine diabetes education, treatment, and support with recreation, sports, and camping.
History
Elliott P. Joslin, M.D. spoke of his dream to develop special camps for children with diabetes that would serve as “islands of safety,” where children could enjoy a vacation while under the care of diabetes specialists. In 1932, he joined with the Association of Universalist Women and opened the Clara Barton Birthplace Camp for girls with diabetes.Barton Center for Diabetes Education
The Barton Center for Diabetes Education is an independent, non-profit 501 organization, located in North Oxford, Massachusetts, dedicated to the education of children living with diabetes and their families and caregivers through year-round programs...
Seeing the success of this camp, Dr. Joslin convinced the organization to open a boys camp, The Elliott P. Joslin Camps for boys, in 1947. Dr. Joslin and his staff provided the medical supervision while numerous donors provided the financial support.
The logistics of operating the two camps became a burden and the women’s organization gave total control of the boy’s camp to the Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center is the world’s largest diabetes research center, diabetes clinic, and provider of diabetes education. It is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Among the Harvard Medical School Affiliated institutions, Joslin is unique in its sole...
in 1976.
Mission statement
The Elliott P. Joslin Camps provide young people with diabetes the opportunity to learn more about themselves, the management of diabetes and skills for coping with the special challenges of living with diabetes. Children and adolescents with diabetes and their families enjoy recreational and camping experiences that promote safe independence, healthy self-discipline and personal growth.Summer Camp (Camp Joslin)
Camp Joslin is located 50 miles (80.5 km) west of Boston, MA in Charlton, MassachusettsCharlton, Massachusetts
Charlton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,981 at the 2010 census.- History :Charlton was first settled in 1735. It was established as a District separated off from Oxford on January 10, 1755, and became a Town in 1775 by a law that made all...
, near Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village is a living museum located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the United States, which re-creates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. It is the largest living museum in New England, covering more than 200 acres . The Village includes 59 antique...
. It sits on approximately 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land with a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) pond (Putnam Pond), and is located only three miles from The Clara Barton Camp in nearby Oxford, MA, with whom it frequently collaborates.
Summer camp is for boys between the ages of 6 and 16 and is divided into several two and one-week sessions.
Camp Joslin Staff consists of a camp director, administrative team, wilderness leadership experts, cabin counselors, recreation specialists, kitchen and maintenance staff and a 24-hour healthcare team that includes resident physician(s), nurses and nutritionists. The camp has a ratio of one counselor or medical professional to every three campers. Staff from Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center is the world’s largest diabetes research center, diabetes clinic, and provider of diabetes education. It is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Among the Harvard Medical School Affiliated institutions, Joslin is unique in its sole...
in Boston, including pediatricians, pediatric nurses, psychologists and dietitians, also provide support to the camp team.
Notably, Chad Urmston
Chad Urmston
Chad Stokes Urmston is an American musician. Urmston was a member of the band Hermit Thrush which later gave birth to the band Dispatch. He is the frontman for the Sherborn, Massachusetts-area band State Radio, as well as a constant activist for improved living conditions in Zimbabwe...
(of Dispatch
Dispatch (band)
Dispatch is an American indie/roots band. The band consists of Brad Corrigan , Pete Francis Heimbold , and Chad Urmston ....
/State Radio
State Radio
State Radio is an alternative rock band from Sherborn, Massachusetts, consisting of Chad Urmston , Chuck Fay and Mike Najarian...
) was a counselor there in the summer of 2001.
Diabetes Camp Outcomes Research Study
The first diabetes camp outcomes research study was performed at Camp Joslin and showed that participation in Joslin camping programs, especially for a few years or more, has a positive impact on campers’ life-long health. The study followed alumni over the last 30 years and showed that Joslin campers, when compared to children with diabetes who received care from the same clinic and hospital practices, but never went to camp, have significantly better long-term health outcomes.Financial
Dr. Joslin and his team felt it was essential that Camp Joslin serve all children with diabetes who want to attend camp. Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, foundations and corporations, financial aid is available in the form of camperships.Wilderness Leadership Program
Wilderness backpacking trips are offered to young men and women with diabetes, ages 15 – 18, and focus on:- Mountain Backpacking Skills
- Individual Leadership Skills
- Diabetes Management Skills (in extreme conditions)
Joslin-trained staff members with extensive experience in wilderness programming, leadership development and diabetes management lead the Wilderness Leadership Program. Staff includes healthcare professionals and Wilderness First Responder certified wilderness leaders.
Life After High School Program
The Life After High School Program is for young men and women in their junior and senior years of high school who are transitioning to life after high school. Young adults learn tips and techniques on managing their diabetes outside the home.Winter Camp
Winter Camp allows teenagers ages 12–17 the chance to enjoy great winter activities while learning new skills to manage their diabetes through their teen years. In 2006, Joslin collaborated with the Barton Center to bring two camps into one program.Activities
A typical week at Camp Joslin has several regular activities for campers. On Tuesday nights the boys from Camp Joslin invite the girls from the Barton Center for a weekly dance. Wednesday night is a traditional cook out night where each cabin is responsible for its own dinner preparation using supplies from the kitchen staff.Property
Camp Joslin is on a pristine piece of land in the town of Charlton surrounded from the outside world by high trees. From the camp it is all most impossible to hear traffic from the adjacent Richardson's Corner Road. The camp has several features of the property which make it distinct from other camps:Putnam Pond
The camp surrounds Putnam pond which is just under a half mile in length. There is a walking trail that surrounds the pond for campers and staff to use for activities.Facilities
Camp Joslin has several well maintained facilities that include a sheltered full size basketball court (the Pavilion), adjacent FM Radio Station (Radio Shack), a sand beach waterfront with dock and boats, and an uncovered basketball court by the mess hall. Additionally there are five large fields (JD (Junior Division), softball, soccer, baseball, and archery) for recreation. There is also an obstacle course and volleyball net on the property.Buildings
The most notable building on the Camp Joslin Property is the new flagship mess hall which replaced the old original mess hall in 2006. The new mess hall features a large and open eating area with cathedral ceilings and a stone fire place. The kitchen is brand new and top of the line. The basement is an extra space for pool tables and other various activities. The most prominent feature of the new mess hall are its three coupalas.Accreditations
The Elliott P. Joslin Camps is accredited by the American Camp AssociationAmerican Camp Association
The American Camp Association , formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501 nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and similar camp programs.ACA runs an accreditation criterion for camps...
(ACA) and is a member of the Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA).