A few years ago, I was recuperating by a lake at the base of Mount Whitney, wondering how I was going to pull off the next day’s climb. I was tired and cranky and headache-y when out of nowhere, a dozen boisterous teens interrupted my rest and view of the lake. 

I was annoyed.

But then I realized they were talking diabetes-talk. As a type one diabetic myself, I knew this language – basals and pump settings and glucose and carb counting. And they were all wearing insulin pumps, like mine. These kids, who had never been backpacking before, had just finished 75 miles with full packs and summited Mount Whitney. And they were celebrating.

My annoyance turned to admiration. 

We all became fast friends, They called themselves “The Pumpers” and offered me membership. 

It turns out Diabetes Youth Families - resident camp programs which help kids with diabetes acquire the tools and confidence to live life to the fullest - had organized these mammoth backpacking trips to empower kids and show them diabetes can’t hold them back.

This summer I’ll be hiking the John Muir Trail, 222 miles from Mt. Whitney to the Yosemite Valley. And am fundraising for DYF to support their outdoor programs, camps and future backpacking trips.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting these kids!


About Diabetes Youth Families (DYF)

In 1938, San Francisco physician, Dr. Mary B. Olney took to the California wilderness with a group of 19 children who had type 1 diabetes (T1D). She believed that camping was an ideal platform on which children can gain the skills and confidence they need to manage diabetes. Surrounded by peers and supported by expert care, the campers gained insight and independence that transformed their conception of diabetes. A feared illness became a manageable condition. In the following years, Dr. Olney established Bearskin Meadow Camp in Sequoia National Forest. Since then, Dr. Olney's vision has improved the lives of thousands of children and their families. In addition to residential camps for children and teens, DYF offers backpacking trips, residential family camps, and year-round educational opportunities.

Our most well-known program is our Bearskin Meadow Summer Camp, one of the oldest wilderness camps for youth living with diabetes in the country.  This summer, DYF is offering three backpacking programs in addition to our resident camp programs. Our most popular backpacking program, Altitude 14,405, takes 10 15-17 year olds on a 10 day, 75+ mile backpacking adventure through California backcountry in the hopes of summiting Mt. Whitney.