Chickasaw Nation Youth Learn Ways to Prevent Diabetes at "Camp Survivor"

Chickasaw youth play ‘Nutrition Tic-Tac-Toe’

This past summer, 106 Chickasaw Nation youths ages 9 to 13 attended a three-day camp, located at a 2,400-acre facility nestled in the hills of southern Oklahoma. Camp Survivor was launched three years ago to provide healthy activities for younger children.

“We had a youth council and summer camps to help older youth become better leaders, but they were for ages 14 and up,” explains Allen Elliott, Chickasaw Tribal Health Program Manager. “We didn’t have anything for younger kids and we wanted to create a unique summer camp experience especially for them,” he says.

Allen and his staff chose a focus on health for the camp because of the prevalence of diabetes and overweight among tribal members. “Obesity is a problem,” says Allen. “And even if young people are not overweight, it’s good to teach them to eat right and get regular physical activity so they don’t gain weight as they grow older,” he adds.

Camp Survivor was an instant hit in 2003. About 150 children applied and 86 attended. Chickasaw Nation staff planned kid-captivating activities: the formation of “tribes,” a campfire, and a huge, excitement-filled competition on the final evening.

Ever since Camp Survivor started, it has offered almost non-stop physical activity: swimming, stickball, volleyball, wall climbing, canoeing and horseback riding. Over the three years, more nutrition information activities have been added.

This summer, games such as “Nutrition Tic Tac Toe” were set up next to physical activity areas. When children were taking a break from climbing the 50-foot wall, they munched on watermelon and answered questions about the three kinds of fat. By the end of the Tic Tac Toe game, they all knew the difference between good (unsaturated) and bad (saturated and trans) fats.

Much to Allen and his staff’s surprise, morning spiritual devotionals and prayers before meals have become a very popular aspect of Camp Survivor. Allen says the devotional idea emerged from brainstorming during staff planning meetings. Every morning, children gather at the outdoor chapel located at the joining of two creeks. This summer, Randy Wade, of the Chickasaw Nation, led them in prayer and then talked about issues such as teamwork, overcoming fear and accepting challenges. The popularity of the devotionals is no surprise to Randy. “Kids are hungry for spiritual nourishment,” he says.

Camp Survivor's blending of physical, spiritual, and nutrition education activities has made it a hit year after year. Allen says the goal of the camp is larger than three days of fun and games. It's even bigger than learning facts and making friends. "Our goal is to help youth build leadership and team-building skills. It's to help them prevent obesity and diabetes--to really survive," he says.

Is the camp reaching its goals? According to 11-year-old Bethany Easley-Wade, the answer is YES! “The camp is awesome. It will help me with exercising, lifting weights, making new friends and being a leader. I think I will go home a changed person.”



For more information on the Chickasaw Nation diabetes prevention camp for youth,
contact Allen Elliott, (580) 310-9661.

Have “BUSH PLANE” Will Travel: Adventures in Diabetes Prevention and Care

Adventures of a Diabetes Coordinator in New Stuyahok, Alaska!

Danae and Charles Kvasnikoff

One week of preparation and packing, one bush plane loaded with supplies, an hour long flight, a couple of four wheelers carrying helping hands and smiling faces, an overnight bag with an inflatable mattress, and an interpreter is all Lois Schumacher needs to provide outstanding diabetes education and care for the small Yupik village of New Stuyahok! “New Stu,” as the locals call it, is one of the 34 villages served by the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (BBAHC) and is located 50 miles northeast of Dillingham, Alaska.

Even before Lois has had a chance to unpack, folks begin filling the Village Council Building to get a good seat for the two-day diabetes education clinic. Topics to be covered include what is diabetes, why it is important not to have a high blood sugar level, how to take care of your feet, activities for children, healthy food preparation, and diabetes screening. Although New Stu has only ten people diagnosed with diabetes, more than 30 people, ages 2 to 82 come to see Lois and learn about diabetes control and prevention.

The people greet Lois more like a family member and an old friend than a nurse or a teacher. Everyone arrives excited and happy to see Lois return for another clinic. Anuska Nickolai and her daughter Mary Kawaglia, traveled up river in a skiff from the village of Ekwok to see Lois, attend her class and follow up on their diabetes management. Mary was recently diagnosed with diabetes and says, “I found out here that diabetes runs in families. I used to think it was only in the elders.”

Anuska Nickolai and daughter Mary Kawaglia (rode skiff up river from Ekwok to attend the class)

At the start of the first session, Lois is joined by Katherine Chocknok, who lives in New Stu. Well-respected in the community, Katherine volunteers her time to provide Yupik translation and to assist with the teaching. “I’m glad she asks me to help out and translate because it really helps me take better care of my own diabetes,” says Katherine. She and Lois work together like a well-practiced team to make sure that the information is clear and easily understood. “Katherine’s help is very important to ensure that my message and answers are clearly translated,” says Lois.

So, what keeps a diabetes coordinator who serves 34 villages, many that are only accessible by bush plane, inspired and energized? Lois admits, “The people here in New Stuyahok, like many of the communities we serve at BBAHC, want to know more about diabetes and how it can be prevented or managed. They not only want to know for themselves, but for their children and other family and community members.” She goes on to note, “They are actually making healthy lifestyle changes that are making them stronger and will have a powerful impact on the health and well-being of future generations!”

Lois has been a Registered Nurse for 16 years, and has worked for the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation for the past 7 and a half years. Before coming to Alaska, Lois was a Diabetes Program Coordinator for the King Fahad National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. You can contact Lois at lschumacher@bbahc.org.