Barton Center for Diabetes Education

The mission is to improve the lives of children with insulin-dependent diabetes through education, recreation, and support programs which inspire and empower.

[1] In 1921, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Clara Barton, humanitarian and founder of the American Red Cross, the Women's National Missionary Association of the Universalist Church purchased her home in North Oxford, Massachusetts.

While the Universalist Women were building the "camp", Dr. Elliott P. Joslin (also born in Oxford, MA) became one of the first physicians to use insulin to save the lives of children with diabetes.

In 1932, Dr. Joslin and the Universalist women joined forces to create The Clara Barton Birthplace Camp,[3] an "island of safety" for children with diabetes.

The Clara Barton Birthplace Camp was revered around the world as the first "hospital in the woods" and many smaller programs were modeled after it.

[8] Residential summer camp in North Oxford, MA for entire families (parents and siblings) with at least one child, ages 6–16, who has insulin-dependent diabetes.

The Barton Center camp staff is made up of experienced Endocrinologists, mental health professionals, Nurse educators, dieticians, and a group of trained counselors, many of which also have diabetes.