Every summer, dozens of children living with Type 1 diabetes arrive at Little Shots Camp carrying more than just a backpack.

Many come believing they’re the only child in their classroom, neighborhood or community managing the disease. They’re used to counting carbohydrates while their friends simply eat. They’re used to insulin pumps, finger pricks and the constant beeping of glucose monitors that can make them feel different.

Then they arrive at camp.

For many, it’s the first time they’ve ever met another child living with Type 1 diabetes.

“Some of them are really shy about their diagnosis, or it’s still new for them,” said Morgan Johnson, Director of Programs and Education for Diabetes Youth Services. “Then they meet all these other kids who are just like them, and it’s like they come to life. It’s so amazing.”

For more than 40 years, Diabetes Youth Services has created opportunities for children living with Type 1 diabetes to discover they aren’t alone. Every summer, Little Shots Camp becomes one of those places.

“When you get the diagnosis, it can be very isolating if you don’t know anyone else,” Morgan said. “Some kids are the only child at their school or in their neighborhood with diabetes. Just knowing there are other people who understand those challenges and are overcoming them together is so magical.”

That feeling of belonging is exactly what families say makes camp so life changing.

For 9-year-old Elizabeth, camp became the first place she truly felt understood.

“Coming to camp, everyone else is like her,” her mom shared. “She really needed to feel validated.”

For 7-year-old Miley, it was a chance to meet children who understood every beep from her glucose monitor without asking questions.

“It’s so good for my soul,” her mom, Amber, said. “I don’t know who this was better for, me or her.”

Cole arrived at camp nervous, but left with a confidence his parents hadn’t seen before. After watching other campers confidently wear their devices in different locations, he decided to try placing his Dexcom on his stomach for the first time.

“He wasn’t the odd man out anymore,” his parents said.

Morgan sees that transformation every summer.

“A lot of them come very nervous and maybe a little insecure about their diabetes,” she said. “By the end of the week, they’re crying because they don’t want to leave. They’ve made these great friends they’ll have for a lifetime. You just see their personalities shine.”

Camp doesn’t only change children.

It changes families.

Parents who spend every hour monitoring blood sugar levels, counting carbohydrates and worrying about every high or low glucose reading are suddenly given permission to breathe.

“I always tell parents this is good for you, too,” Morgan said. “It gives them the chance to take a breath because it is so stressful. Camp is really for them as much as it is for the kids.”

Amber experienced that firsthand.

“It’s so good for my soul,” she said. “When you’re here and you hear all the devices beeping, you know you’re not the only family.”

For Kelly, watching her son become more independent gave her confidence as well.

“There are no weekends. No holidays. No nights off,” she said of managing Type 1 diabetes. “Camp reminds you they really can do this.”

Parents also find reassurance watching their children discover a level of independence they never thought possible. Whether it’s trying a new insulin pump site, counting carbohydrates on their own or simply spending a few days away from home, campers return with greater confidence in managing their diabetes and confidence in themselves.

Removing barriers is what makes experiences like Little Shots Camp possible.

Diabetes Youth Services serves families across 38 counties in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. More than 65 percent of campers receive scholarships, but for many families traveling from hours away, lodging remained one of the biggest obstacles.

“We wanted to get rid of every single barrier that families could have to send their kids to camp,” Morgan said. “One of the biggest barriers was housing.”

For more than a decade, Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio has partnered with Diabetes Youth Services to provide complimentary lodging for families traveling to Little Shots Camp. The partnership began at the organization’s previous House and continues today, helping ensure distance and lodging costs never prevent children from experiencing camp.

“Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio provides so much more than a place to stay,” Morgan said. “They give our out-of-town families the opportunity to be together without the added financial burden of lodging. Because of their generosity, children living with Type 1 diabetes don’t have to miss out on the incredible experience of attending camp, where they build lifelong friendships, gain confidence and realize they are never alone in their diabetes journey.”

Removing barriers is also central to Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio’s mission.

“At Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio, we provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare,” said Chad Bringman, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio. “For more than 10 years, our partnership with Diabetes Youth Services has brought that mission to life. By removing the burden of lodging, families can focus less on logistics and more on giving their children the opportunity to build confidence, form lifelong friendships and simply be kids.”

For families like Amber’s, that support made all the difference.

“Being able to come to the Ronald McDonald House was a big reason we chose Toledo,” she said. “It’s such a weight off your shoulders.”

Morgan hopes every child leaves camp with more than memories.

“If I could tell the community one thing about children living with Type 1 diabetes, it’s that they’re some of the strongest people I’ve ever met,” she said. “Diabetes is a full-time job with no vacation, no time off. These little kids are doing it every single day with a smile on their face.”

At Little Shots Camp, children leave with more confidence than when they arrived. They leave with lifelong friendships, greater independence and the reassurance that they’re never alone.

For more than a decade, the partnership between Diabetes Youth Services and Ronald McDonald House Northwest Ohio has helped make those moments possible by removing one more barrier for families traveling to camp.

Because when children have the opportunity to belong, families can begin to heal.

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About Diabetes Youth Services

Diabetes Youth Services (DYS) is an independent nonprofit organization serving children living with Type 1 diabetes and their families throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Through year-round education, support programs and camps like Little Shots, DYS helps children build confidence, independence and lifelong friendships while connecting families with a community that understands their journey.

Learn more at dys4kids.org.