"I had all the classic warning signs of diabetes," said Heckel, who has lived with the disease for some 35 years now. "It was during a time when the general public was scared of people with diabetes. There was an old myth that people with diabetes would pass out unexpectedly, or that the disease was contagious. Thankfully, today the public is better informed."

In the years since her diagnosis, Heckel has become an important source of information about diabetes. In addition to being program director for the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina site within the USC Medical School Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, for the past eight years she has shared her knowledge and experience at Camp Adam Fisher, a week-long summer camp for children with diabetes.

This year's camp was held June 3–10 at Lake Marion, near Summerton. Of the 190 children who attended, 150 have diabetes.

"At Camp Adam Fisher, a child with diabetes–and their siblings and friends–can have a great time with others who share their struggle, and their parents know their child is safe with qualified health professionals," said Heckel. "The goal is for kids to have fun and learn about good, healthy diabetes management, and to learn that diabetes shouldn't keep them from doing or enjoying anything they want to in life."

The camp is a very special place for campers; many of them form lifelong friendships and return year after year. This summer marked Beverly Humphrey's twenty-first at the camp. "I've been going to Camp Adam Fisher since I was 10, only now I go as the camp manager," she said. "Those kids have become my children. I just love them. I've grown up with diabetes, and I think they can identify with me.

"There are so many fun things we do at camp: swimming in the lake, team sports like volleyball and softball, horseback riding, arts and crafts, archery, dancing, canoeing, hiking, cookouts, a talent show," Humphrey continued. "Of course we test our blood sugar levels, take our shots, and eat our meals together, too."

A camp infirmary is run around-the-clock by volunteer nurses and physicians, including Kay McFarland, department of internal medicine, medical school. Several nutritionists discuss dietary restrictions and demonstrate ways to prepare food.

Camp counselors are past campers who have proven to be positive role models, along with PharmD candidates from the Medical University of South Carolina. This year, the camp offered continuing medical education credit for doctors. Howard Heinz, the medical school's pediatric endocrinologist, provided instruction.

The camp has become even more than Greenville businessman Adam Fisher envisioned when he began the project in 1967. He wanted to provide a safe camp experience for his daughter, who had diabetes. And this summer, like many summers before, a grown-up Susan Fisher was at the camp to help.

For more information, visit www.med.sc.edu/diabetesinitiative or contact Elizabeth Heckel at elizabeth.todd@palmettohealth.org.