Camp Kudzu, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing diabetes management education in a fun and medically safe environment, is empowering young people to live normal, productive lives. A $5,000 Jackson EMC Foundation grant helps ensure the organization reaches young people living with type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes in the counties we serve.

Medical research shows that children who have access to quality diabetes management education at a young age can reduce their risk of suffering from diabetes-related complications such as blindness and heart disease. Amber Medley, Camp Kudzu director of development, says Operation Round Up (ORU) support allows them to offer a variety of programs to youth with diabetes. "Since we're the only organization in the state that provides this health benefit for children with type 1 diabetes, it's important that we have the support to match the growing demand for service," Medley says.

Hosting two week-long resident summer camp sessions for children ages 8 to 18, Camp Kudzu helps campers enjoy a variety of traditional summer camp activities while learning diabetes management skills such as carbohydrate counting and calculating insulin dosages. Serving 625 children, Camp Kudzu's summer program now has a waiting list. "The demand for our services increases each year, and it's important to us that every child who wants to attend Camp Kudzu has the opportunity to do so, so we are now in the feasibility study phase of determining when we can add a third week to alleviate our waiting list," says Medley. Programming includes summer camp and year-round networking and resources activities.

For more information about Camp Kudzu, visit www.campkudzu.org.