Teen Winter Camp:
February 25th-26th, Alton Jones Campus

Camp Surefire is excited to be able to offer a Teen Winter Camp for the first time!  Campers who will be 13 by the start of next summer’s camp (August 19, 2012) are eligible to attend, as well as LIT’s from the 2011 camp season.  Campers will arrive Saturday morning, catch up with friends take part in a variety of activities, including team building exercises and a nature program. Space is limited, so please register online today!

Sunday, January 22nd at 4:05pm

Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Falcons

For ticket information, please contact Warren Green at greenw31@aol.com or (401) 374-7266.

Special thanks to Jan Tanury of Botticelli’s in North Providence for sponsoring this fun night out!

Camp Surefire is so grateful for the time, dedication, and support of so many people who make camp possible….

Supporters

Insulet Corporation, Marissa’s Magic Foundation, Family of Michael J. Palmer, Fresnius Medical Care, Walgreens, Novo Nordisk, Lifescan, Oster Family Charitable Trust, The Kearns Family, The Greer Family, The Fox Family, Rhode Island CDOE, Eli Lilly & Company, Medtronic, Animas, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dex 4, CVS, Providence Rotary Club, Chariho Rotary Club, dLife.com, and all those who attended and supported grassroots fundraising efforts

Camp Surefire Board of Directors, Staff & Volunteers

Dr. Fox, Colleen, Maggie, Warren, Anna, Lori, Lauren, Dave, Dustin, Andrew, Jackie, Ali, Joe, Billy, Deb, Molly

Medical Staff

Dr. Fox, Maggie, Terri, Cookie, Amelia, Karen, Cara, Pat, Michelle, Linda, Beverly, Renee, Kathy, Martha, Karen, Dr. Reddy

Nutrition Staff

Anna, Jamie, Shira, Joanna, Kimberly, Maureen, Robyn, Dianne, Heather,Tracy, Randi, Mary Lynne

Alton Jones Staff

Tom, Linda, Teri, Paul, Jane, Michael, Derrick, Joe, Kathy, Laurie, Becky, Aileen, Ralph, Veronica, Linda & More!!!!

Counselors

Alison, Ally, Amelia, Brent, Brett, Brittany, Bud, Casey, Catie, Christopher, David, Erin, Ian, Janina, Jocelyn, Jordan, Joseph, Justin, Mike, Nicole, Ryan, Samantha, Scott, Thomas, Valerie

LIT’s

Alex, Dylan, Ethan, Harry, Jackie, Jay, Kathryn, Megan, Morgan

Special Guests

Steve Brosnihan, Sebastien Sasseville, Rocky Silva’s American Karate

I would like to direct this chat to teens with diabetes and their parents. It seems that 2011 has been a particularly tricky year for the diabetic teens in my life, and they have been in my thoughts constantly…

When I became a pediatric endocrinologist, I had no idea how challenging my job would turn out to be.  I loved the idea of looking at log books and adjusting insulin dosing to optimize glycemic control.  I didn’t realize that I’d have my patients actively conspiring against me to sabotage their own diabetes care.  I didn’t anticipate the tears, blank stares, and swearing.  It has taken ten years or so to adjust, but I’m happy to say that I get it now, and am up for the challenge!

Here’s what I’ve learned:  Adolescents with diabetes have to endure all of the challenges of their peers, but with the added stress of a chronic, potentially life threatening disease.  They live their lives under a microscope and every decision that they make is scrutinized.  For those that were diagnosed when they were younger, they need to make the transition from being cared for to caring for themselves.  For those diagnosed as teens, they have to deal with the loss of control as their parents and caregivers watch over them in ways that they never did before.  Either way, it’s not fair, and it’s not always pretty.

So here are a few pieces of advice for you teens out there:

Take it easy on your parents.  The nagging isn’t personal, it’s their way of telling you that they love you.  Show them your meters once in a while to brag about the good numbers, and come up with a plan to fix the bad ones.

Talk to your friends about your diabetes.  If they’re the kind of friends that you want, they’ll learn about your diabetes and support you.  If they don’t, then look for better friends.

Meet a few other teens with diabetes.  They truly understand what you’re going through and are great people to vent with.

Always listen to your doctor (ok, at least some of the time)!  Tell him or her what you’re really thinking and how you think your diabetes should be treated.  Lying to make things look good or promising that things will magically get better this time really isn’t helpful.  You’ll be amazed at the response that you’ll get if you take the time to come up with a plan.

And some advice for parents of teens:

Don’t stop the nagging!  Teens that aren’t supervised get themselves in trouble.  Make sure that you look at your child’s meter regularly to see what the real numbers are, and insist that they administer insulin where you can see them.  Teens that take injections in private are not getting their insulin, trust me.  Teens often promise to check or bolus with good intentions, but get distracted easily once they are out of your sight.  They mean to do it, they just don’t!

Communicate with their friends and friends’ parents.  Your teens won’t always be where you can see them, but it helps to have others that you trust helping to support them when you can’t.

Hang in there, adolescence doesn’t last forever.  Understand that every teen with diabetes struggles, thus every parent of a teen with diabetes struggles too.  Neither of you asked for this, but if you work together, you can keep it manageable until the 20′s arrive.

Now for the good news…

Most teens with diabetes make it through just fine.  They develop into young adults who take very good care of themselves, and go on to lead happy, productive lives.  They emerge with a maturity which is far deeper than their peers, and a sense of accomplishment that gives them the confidence to succeed in ways that they may not have had they not been diagnosed with diabetes.  I am blessed to know many such adults succeeding with diabetes…doctors, nurses, teachers, pharmaceutical reps, insurance agents, artists, and camp directors, to name a few.

One of the major changes this year as Camp Surefire moves to Alton Jones is the addition of the “TORCH” program for 13 and 14 year olds and a formal LIT program for 15 and 16 year olds.  I’m thrilled that our program now has the ability to serve the unique needs of teens with diabetes.

I hope that each camper leaves with a new friend, a new mentor, and a new understanding of their diabetes.

Until our next chat…

Dr. Fox

Our “Afternoon by the Campfire” event was held on Sunday, June 5th, at the home of Lauren and Al Greer in Providence. We had a wonderful turnout and raised funds for our Campership Program, to help send kids to camp this summer. This event would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors:

Alayne White Spa

Alex & Ani

Blithewold Mansion & Gardens

Botticelli

DeWolf Tavern

George Greer Company

Kate & Company

Munroe Dairy

Robin Jenkins Antiques

Sienna Restaurant

Trinity Rep Company

Unlimited Image Photography

Wicked Good Company

1776 Liquors

Al & Lauren Greer

Anna Berterolli

Donald Fox

Jane Lavender

Maggie Jarrell

Sue Dragoo Lembo

The Kearns Family

Anna Bertorelli, MBA, RD, CDE

June is Graduation Parties and Father’s Day Celebrations.  The recipes provided below can be used for either.  Happy Father’s Day to all our Camp Surefire Dads and Grandfathers!!

It is also prom season for teens.  I searched “prom and diabetes” and came  up with these two websites to check out.  With a little extra planning, your prom can go off without a hitch.

http://studentswithdiabetes.health.usf.edu/teens/?cat=3

http://juvenation.org/juvenation_forums/pre-diabetes/f/138/p/8032/81117.aspx

Diploma Sandwiches

Fun for a graduate’s party, these easy sandwiches can be made ahead and chilled. Thinly sliced ham, turkey, beef and cheese are other options for the filling.  You can  also use halves of 6-inch tortillas to make smaller “diplomas.”

Ingredients

1 loaf (16 ounces) wheat bread sandwich bread, crusts removed

2 cups prepared ham, tuna or chicken salad

Whole chives or green onion tops

Directions

Flatten bread slices with a rolling pin. Spread a rounded tablespoonful of ham salad onto each slice of bread. Gently roll up; tie each with a chive.

Yield: 22 sandwiches

Nutrition Information: 1 sandwich equals 102 calories, 4 g fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 339 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 3 g protein

Source:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Diploma-Sandwiches/Print

Potato Salad

An all-American necessity at summer party or graduation celebration, this creamy, old-fashioned potato salad uses pickle relish, eggs, and mustard.

Ingredients

2 pounds small all-purpose white or red potatoes

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained

3 hard-cooked large eggs, chopped

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Cool and peel. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with vinegar and oil. Add celery, onion, pickle relish, and eggs; toss gently.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over potato mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.

Nutritional Information

Amount per 1 cup serving

Calories 215; Fat 6.1g; Cholesterol 91mg; Sodium: 536mg; Carbohydrate: 35.9g;  Fiber: 1.9g ; Protein: 4.9g

Source:  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/potato-salad-101-10000000263953/print/

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves: 4 servings (about 1 1/2 cups salad and 1/2 Tbsp dressing per serving)

Ingredients

6 cups baby spinach

8 strawberries, halved

1/2 ounce pecans, chopped

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 1/2 ounces goat cheese broken into small pieces

2 Tbsp. canola oil

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or raspberry vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 tsp ground dry mustard

black pepper

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Place 1 1/2  cups spinach on each 4 plates. Divide strawberries, pecans, onions and goat cheese evenly over spinach.

2. Whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper and poppy seeds in small bowl.
Divide dressing among 4 salads.

Nutritional Information

Calories 164; Total Fat 12 g; Sodium 98 mg; Total Carbohydrate 11 g; Dietary Fiber 3 g
Protein 4g

Source:  Diabetic Cooking magazine. March/ April 2011, page 48-49.

Graduation Caps

These cute treats are delicious at any graduation. They really topped off the party fun!

Ingredients

24 miniature peanut butter cups

1 tube (6 ounces) decorating frosting in color of your choice

24 After Eight thin mints

24 milk chocolate M&M’s in color of your choice or 24 semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups; place upside down on

waxed paper. Place a small amount of frosting on each peanut butter

cup; center a mint on each. Using frosting, make a loop for each

cap’s tassel. Place an M&M on top of each loop. Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutrition Information: 1 serving (1 each) equals 92 calories; 3 g fat; trace cholesterol; 136 mg sodium;  15 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber;  1 g protein.

Source:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Graduation-Caps/Print