The staff of Idaho Diabetes Youth Programs that runs Hodia Kids Camp, Hodia Shooting Stars, Hodia Teen Camp and Hodia Ski Camp are dedicated to improving the lives of children and teens with diabetes in the state of Idaho. Actually, our service area stretches from Eastern Oregon to Western Wyoming and covers the state of Idaho. Many of the staff have been with Camp Hodia for well over 20 years. Many of our staff dedicate well over 2 weeks each year to serving the needs of Idaho's kids with diabetes. We are proud that we continue to have NO PAID staff—but all the work seems to get done! For more information, please contact us. Our Purpose First of all, Camp Hodia is fun. But it also offers kids the opportunity to share common experiences, to meet others with diabetes, and to form meaningful friendships. For many campers this is their first time away from home. Our programs strive to foster self-esteem and self-reliance in a safe, healthy environment. Campers learn self care, good nutrition and blood-sugar control. They are shown how to balance meals with activity and exercise. Many campers learn to give their first insulin shot - a big step toward independence. We know the realities of diabetes are not easy, but our goal is to help the lives of the campers to be happy, healthy and productive.

Our Staff
Camp Hodia is maintained and operated by its large staff of volunteers including; physicians, registered nurses, registered dietitians, counselors and assistants. All camp staff time— more than 10,000 hours a year—is donated. You won't find a better qualified, more dedicated camp staff anywhere.

Our Board Of Directors
Camp Hodia is operated by Idaho Diabetes Youth Programs, Inc., a volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to enriching the lives of children with diabetes. Our board of directors consists of camp professional staff, physicians, nurses, business leaders and concerned parents of children with diabetes. IDYP's board of directors spearhead camp organization, communication with families and youth with diabetes, planning expanded services, and fundraising. Our Board of Directors include:

Executive Director:

Lisa Gier-- Executive Director| lisa@hodia.org
Lisa has been a camp counselor for several years.  Lisa is a former camper and recent graduate of Albertson College of Idaho where she received a bachelor of arts in Business Management and a minor in Leadership.  Lisa was hired by IDYP in February 2008 to help direct our administration and fundraising.  As executive director of IDYP, Lisa is our primary interface to the public and our donors and is working hard to assure a great future for IDYP.

Directors:

Alan Bean, M.D. | Camp physician and Wilderness Camp Director | alan@hodia.org
Alan started off as a camper at Camp Hodia many years ago and has progressed through the ranks of camp counselor to camp physician to camp director of our Wilderness Camp.  Alan lives in Boise and is an emergency medicine physician currently practicing in Ontario, OR.

Matthew Brown, M.D. | Camp Physician, Hodia Ski Camp Director, Secretary/Treasurer | matt@hodia.org
Director of Ski Hodia since its inception in 1999 and our webmaster.  "DocMatt" is also a Pediatrician and Pediatric Diabetologist in Caldwell.  He was a camp physician at Oklahoma's diabetes camp -- Camp O'Leary Kno-Keto in Oklahoma prior to moving to Idaho in 1997 and joining us at Hodia.  He also is a consultant and online contributor to www.childrenwithdiabetes.com.

Richard Christensen, M.D. | Camp Physician | richard@hodia.org
Richard is a Boise endocrinologist who cares for many children.  He is also the Medical director at Humphrey's Diabetes Center in Boise.

Laura Colson | Vice-Chairman | laura@hodia.org
Laura is a long-time camp supporter and fundraiser.  She is a graduate of Washington State University and received her Masters degree from Pacific University.  Prior to working with IDYP she worked as a volunteer for the American Diabetes Association.

Vicki Cutshall | Camp Nurse |   vicki@hodia.org
Vicki is a nurse educator for St. Luke’s Health System children’s services.  Vicki is also our infirmary nurse and has bandaged more boo boo's at camp than most nurses will do in a lifetime.  She also spends many sleepless nights up with sick kids and teens providing the best diabetes management around.

Natalie Bennion DelRio | Chairman | natalie@hodia.org
Natalie is a chemical and environmental engineer for CH2M HILL.  She has attended Camp Hodia programs since 1987.  Since the 1990s, she has been a Cabin Counselor at Camp Hodia and loves sharing her enthusiasm for the Sawtooth Basin and year-round outdoor activities.  Natalie helps with grant fundraising and is a campership counselor.

Lynn Giesler, R.N. | Camp Nurse, Assistant Camp Director | lynn@hodia.org
Assistant camp director since 1979.  Lynn is a certified diabetic educator and a school nurse in the Meridian School District.

Don Scott, R.N. | Camp Nurse, Summer Camp Director
Camp director since our inception in 1978. Don is a pediatric nurse at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Boise.

In addition to managing the programs of IDYP, the IDYP Board is responsible for the content and for regular review of this website.

Camp Hodia's Diabetes Philosophy And Health Practices
Camp Hodia is a traditional summer camp that serves children and teens with diabetes. It is meant to be a lot of fun and to promote friendship. As adults with diabetes and adults who care about children with diabetes, staff members strive to be great role models. We want to help campers establish diabetes care practices that allow them to lead long, productive lives.

Our camp staff includes a minimum of one physician, several registered nurses, a registered dietician, other medical support staff, counselors, and counselors-in-training. Nearly all of our staff has diabetes or specializes in the care of children with diabetes. In the rare instance when our physician is off site, he/she is available by phone.

Each camper’s diabetes management plan is reviewed before camp and at registration. Every effort is made to adhere to this plan and the wishes of the family and their physician. At the request of parents or campers, the camp medical staff will evaluate the diabetes plan and make suggestions for better control. In general, Camp Hodia recommends tight control by frequent testing, carbohydrate counting, multiple insulin injections, and avoidance of low blood sugars.

We support diabetes self-management with careful supervision; each camper will participate in his/her own diabetes decisions. The child does not have to be completely independent to attend camp. Careful consideration of the individual child’s age and development is always necessary.

Food is always an issue for people with diabetes. Our menu is based on the food pyramid guidelines and is served family style. We do not measure the food but we watch to make sure the camper gets enough to eat. On the other hand, we teach carbohydrate counting by demonstrating serving size and encouraging portion control. Most kids are very active at camp and need some extra carbs, so each day we have one or two treats such as cookies or a scoop of ice cream. This is incorporated into the camper’s diabetes plan. If blood sugars are high we recommend small extra doses of insulin and retesting.

Low blood sugars are one of our biggest concerns. Staff always carries glucose and testing equipment. Extra snacks are always available. Medical staff is prepared to immediately give glucagon and start IVs. Everyone tests their blood sugar at bedtime; anyone whose blood sugar is under 100 is retested at 2:00 a.m.

Our medical staff can provide treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis and other illness and injuries. For severe illness or injuries we may transport your child to the nearest health care facility. Every effort will be made to contact parents or guardians as quickly as possible.

We will always try to practice and teach the best and most current diabetes techniques in hopes that our campers and staff will live long, healthy, productive lives.

Camp Hodia's Education Philosophy Described by Staff
Real life with diabetes is our classroom. Nearly everyone at Hodia has diabetes and the others are all personally involved with diabetes. So we spend some time on formal presentations, but there are non-stop informal discussions. Every imaginable topic is bantered about on the trail, in the car, at the pool. At breakfast, lunch and dinner. Getting up in the morning and going to bed.

Our formal sessions are short and sweet. Most of the topics come from events of the day at Hodia. We all learn from each other. I promise you that kids who got diabetes a few months ago give new insight to folks who have had it for forty years. And of course our staff who have diabetes for decades are monuments of wisdom for us all. Hodia is all about REAL LIFE.

Don Scott, RN, Hodia Founder & Director

The staff at Camp Hodia offer our campers a combination of formal and informal education. We have many after meal education times. Many of these topics are based on questions posed during the day from the campers themselves. At times, we also do education in the form of games and other education driven activities. We also have several sessions dedicated to the psychological realities of diabetes and how they affect the camper and their families. In addition, real life in dealing with diabetes is also our classroom. Nearly everyone at Hodia has diabetes and the others are all personally involved with diabetes. So, there are non-stop informal discussions throughout the day. Every imaginable diabetes related topic is bantered about on the trail, in the car, at the pool and at mealtimes.

Of course, we all learn from each other. The kids who were diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago give new insight to folks who have had diabetes for forty years. And our staff that have had diabetes for decades are monuments of wisdom for us all. After more than 30 years of running Camp Hodia, we have found the combination of formal and informal education gives a majority of our campers the greatest benefit for not only the week that they are here but helps to encourage and help them for the weeks and months following their camp experience.

Alan Bean, MD, Hodia Director & 30 year participant

Even though your child may report that they did not learn anything at camp, the parents may notice a difference in how their child’s vision of diabetes is different once they return home. Parents may notice that the child may have a better understanding of carb counting, insulin dosing, and they may even want to try to dose prior to meals.

Karen Byrne, Hodia Waterfront Director & 33 year participant

Nondiscrimination Statement
Nondiscrimination Statement:  Idaho Diabetes Youth Programs and the staff of Camp Hodia do not advocate, support, or practice unlawful discrimination based on age, ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.