Sweet success for Diabetes Camps Victoria fundraiser

“Charlie and I attended a family camp in Anglesea earlier this year and it was honestly life changing for us,” explains mum Marie.

“It was an amazing experience for Charlie as he was able to spend a weekend surrounded by other children just like him – it helped him understand that he isn’t alone. Since camp he hasn’t once said to me, ‘why am I the only one?’

“He saw other children checking their blood glucose levels (BGLs), talking about what they were going to eat for lunch and how much insulin they needed, and others who had to take a few moments to manage a low and of course, plenty of alarms going off!”

Knowing we're not alone

Marie says it was comforting to be around other parents who understand what it’s like to care for a child with type 1 diabetes.

“It was such a relief to speak with others who know exactly what it’s like, share common experiences and share some great tricks and tips too,” she says.

“I think it gave us all a bit more strength and comfort knowing we’re not alone either. We now have a group chat where we share the ups and downs and it’s so amazing to be able to share your experience with others who fully understand and know what it’s like.”

As soon as they returned home from camp, Charlie and Marie were already talking about how excited they were for the next one.

“I wish for every child diagnosed to have the opportunity to attend a camp, to give them that courage and show them things get easier,” Marie says.

“The camp volunteers are heroes… it brings me to tears thinking about them.

“It was also sad and worrying to learn that camps don’t receive a great deal of funding and that some of the camps are at risk.

Camps were the cause

“Lucy had been wanting to arrange some type of fundraiser for quite some time, and hearing about our experience on the camp helped her decide on a cause.”

The tinkling of teacups and warm conversations filled the garage-turned-high-tea-marquee as 50 people came together to support the camps program.

The $10,500 donation will directly benefit kids with type 1, opening more places for more children to attend camps.

“Our generous family and friends donated prizes for the day, helped with the set up and serving food and drinks and the general running of the day, including selling raffle tickets and awarding prizes to the lucky winners,” Marie says.

“We started off by inviting family and friends and the guest list quickly grew.

“Lucy initially hoped to raise $5000.  When word got out (about the high tea) she said yes to a few more and, before we knew it, we had doubled that figure.

“We were overwhelmed by the response. The money was raised by the cost of tickets to attend, raffle tickets, and our guests very generously donated extra on the day and purchased leftover plates of sweets and sandwiches.”

Natalie and Sab from the Diabetes Camps Victoria team were delighted to attend and personally thank Marie and Lucy.

“We think that having Nat and Sab attend also made a real difference,” Marie says.

“It was wonderful hearing them both talk passionately about the camps and share how funds raised could contribute and make a real difference.

“We are so thankful to everyone involved in the camps program and can’t express enough how much the camps mean.”

Inspired? You can make a difference too. 

Events like this remind us of the powerful impact of community-led fundraising. If you feel inspired by Marie and Lucy’s incredible effort, we would love to support you in hosting your own morning tea, workplace fundraiser or community event.

Whether it’s a small gathering or a large celebration, every dollar raised helps us offer more camp places to more children. 

If you’d like to learn more or start planning your own fundraiser for Diabetes Camps Victoria, please get in touch, we’d be delighted to help you get started. 

Together, we can continue creating life-changing experiences for children living with type 1 diabetes.