Children with type 1 diabetes often have difficulty finding summer camps where they can have fun and receive necessary medical oversight. UC Davis Children’s Hospital has invited camps specializing in the needs of children with type 1 diabetes to a "Camp Expo." At the event, families can meet camp leaders, and relatives of people with type 1 diabetes can be screened for the disease with a simple blood draw.

"Camp Expo" was organized by Sultanna Iden, a nurse with the UC Davis pediatric diabetes medical team who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 13. Nicole Glaser, a pediatric endocrinologist who treats patients with diabetes, will be available to speak with families and media. Representatives of TrialNet, a network of clinical centers dedicated to researching and preventing type 1 diabetes, will discuss studies that will help identify risk factors and new treatments for the disease.

Type 1 diabetes — also known as juvenile diabetes — is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to destroy beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Each year, more than 13,000 young people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The only treatment is insulin injections. For more information, visit www.jdrf.org. Children with type 1 diabetes or other endocrine problems receive expert diagnosis, support and treatment from the UC Davis Children’s Hospital pediatric endocrinology team. For more information, visit www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/children.