Abstract
Background: The Associação de Jovens Diabéticos de Portugal (AJDP), a non-profit association founded in 1996, empowers young people with type 1 diabetes through education, community-building, and activities that demonstrate diabetes being no barrier to living a full and active life.
Approach: The association employs a unique approach to empowering young people with diabetes. By organising various activities, including summer camps and outdoor adventures, the organisation fosters a supportive community that challenges the idea of diabetes being limiting. Through education and peer support, participants develop the confidence and skills needed to manage their condition and live fulfilling lives. The association's commitment to fostering intergenerational connections ensures the continuity of its mission and its ability to positively impact the lives of diabetics around the country.
Every year, a week-long summer camp is hosted involving around 30 young participants aged between 10 and 18, blending learning, sports, and fun under the guidance of a medical team and experienced supervisors, all of whom also have diabetes. Many of these supervisors, former camp participants themselves, provide knowledge to the younger diabetics, based on their own experiences they’ve learnt throughout their years of diagnosis, in order to live an autonomous and responsible life with diabetes, conciliating with the daily challenges everybody faces.
This unique approach allows experienced diabetics to share invaluable knowledge and techniques for managing diabetes autonomously and confidently. Through adrenaline-fueled adventures and intense physical activities, participants gain hands-on experience managing challenges like glucose ups and downs or any device management.
Results: During this week, our participants not only learn to recognize their body's signals but also acquire the skills necessary for reacting quickly and effectively in non-routine situations, thereby guaranteeing greater safety and health. By engaging in these real-world scenarios, they’re cultivating the confidence required to confront any diabetes-related adversity with courage and skill, enabling them to live life to the fullest. This is precisely why our summer camp holds such significance, as it provides the opportunity for participants to gain valuable insights. Moreover, following the camp, these chidlren stay in touch with older, more experienced diabetics, who remain available to offer mentorship and guidance throughout the year, ensuring continued growth and learning.
Implications: The implications of the summer camp include enhancing diabetes management, building fearlessness and resilience, fostering long-term health skills, and creating a supportive community through peer relationships.
Future wise, we aim to expand this impactful week further. Our next step is to introduce a winter camp, providing participants with additional opportunities for growth and learning in a different surrounding. Additionally, in the next summer camp, we plan to welcome more participants, broadening the impact of the program and offering more young diabetics the chance to benefit from this unique adventure.
Furthermore, we aim to embrace partnerships with investigation teams and pharmaceutical companies, related to our cause, aspiring to get more knowledge on new devices, information and technology advancements, so as to share it with our community.