This week at the Greenbrier County Youth Camp near Anthony, WV summer campers are spending their days swimming, playing volleyball, making arts and crafts, exploring nature, participating in talent shows, and gathering around evening campfires. But unlike a traditional camp, every child at this camp, Camp Kno Koma, shares a common bond: living with diabetes.
Founded more than 60 years ago, Camp Kno Koma has provided a summer camping experience for over 10,000 children living with diabetes throughout West Virginia and the surrounding region.
While campers focus on having fun, making friends, and enjoying the adventures of camp, they also learn accountability, nutrition, diabetes management, and self-confidence from a volunteer team of counselors and healthcare professionals. Campers develop practical skills such as monitoring blood sugar, understanding how food and exercise affect their condition, and taking greater responsibility for their own health.
Katie Crowe was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age four and was seven years old when she first attended Camp Kno Koma. “Camp Kno Koma showed me that I wasn’t alone,” she says. “I was surrounded by kids who understood exactly what I was going through. I built lifelong friendships, gained confidence, and learned that I could live a full, active life.”
Katie attended Camp Kno Koma every summer until she was 15 years old. She then joined the camp’s two-year Leadership in Training (LIT) program where she learned leadership and mentoring skills. Upon completion of the LIT program, Katie returned to Camp Kno Koma as a full-fledged counselor.
Today, Katie works at The Health Plan, where she serves as a Community Outreach Liaison. For Katie, working for The Health Plan is an opportunity to come full circle, as The Health Plan is a proud supporter of Camp Kno Koma and the families it serves.
In addition to sending volunteers like Katie to Camp Kno Koma, The Health Plan covers the tuition costs for each and every camper, ensuring no child is unable to attend Camp Kno Koma because of financial barriers. The Health Plan also provides transportation to the camp, helping more families access this life-changing experience.
“Camp Kno Koma helped me become the person I am today,” Katie says. “Through my work with The Health Plan, I can continue to be a part of Kamp Kno Koma’s legacy of creating opportunities for campers to learn, grow and thrive.”
A West Virginia-based nonprofit health maintenance organization, The Health Plan is committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves. Although The Health Plan provides coverage to members in all 50 states, it is especially proud of its presence in all 55 West Virginia counties and its longstanding commitment to communities throughout the Mountain State. Through partnerships like Camp Kno Koma, The Health Plan extends its mission beyond healthcare coverage by investing directly in programs that improve quality of life for West Virginia families.
This year’s camp is being held July 12-18.For more information about Camp Kno Koma visit their website campnokoma.com
