World-Renowned Medical Center and Leading Children’s Weight Loss Camp Join Forces To Fight Childhood Obesity
New Hyde Park, NY (PRWEB) May 18, 2015 -- The organizations have agreed to work together on the treatment and prevention of childhood obesity, a growing concern among medical professionals. Targeted health care and wellness initiatives, educational opportunities and follow-up care for overweight children will be the focus of their efforts.
Camp Shane, which runs summer camp programs for overweight children in five locations nationwide and which, since 1968, was the first coed weight loss camp in the U.S., will work with hospital personnel to develop year-round creative programs to engage the interest of the children struggling with their weight. Activities to help them make better food choices include an “Iron Chef”-type competition focusing on good nutrition and creating a cookbook featuring healthier versions of their favorite meals.
Support groups, live and via Skype where possible, will be offered for families of children identified by the medical center to be in need of help, whether or not the children attend a summer session at Camp Shane. Individual sessions will also be made available to families.
Children who have been identified by the medical staff at Cohen, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System
(http://ccmc.northshorelij.com), as being good candidates for Camp Shane’s program and who choose to enroll in a camp session, will receive discounted camp fees, as well as ongoing medical evaluation by Cohen’s medical team. Children will also be offered a chance to participate in a medical research study to benefit future campers.
“All campers at Camp Shane enjoy an experience full of activities, including games and contests designed to make exercise fun; a nutritional program that is healthy and delicious, as well as plenty of opportunities, like cooking lessons and meal planning, to learn about nutrition,” says Ziporah Janowski, Co-Director of Camp Shane. “It is a summertime of making friends and memories that support and encourage each camper’s quest to lose weight, get healthier and be the best version of themselves.”
Ongoing support from fellow campers and Camp Shane’s staff help the campers stick to their goals once camp is over and such support will be vital for all the children participating from Cohen. All participants in the program, whether or not they attend camp, will receive Camp Shane’s newsletter (full of nutrition and exercise tips), articles and social media postings that families can share.
“We at Camp Shane are delighted to be allied with such a prestigious institution as The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York,” says Janowski. “We couldn't ask for a better partner in educating entire families and helping prevent obesity in children. This is vital work and we are honored to have such an ally in this fight to keep our children healthy.”
About the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York
Opened in 1983, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York is home to about 675 pediatricians, including 200 full-time physicians, and a total workforce of more than 1,200, including more than 500 nurses. For the eighth consecutive year in 2014, CCMC was ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's 2014-15 “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” survey. For more information on the childhood obesity program, visit http://ccmc.northshorelij.com/ccmcny-our-services/ccmcny-weight-management.
About Camp Shane
The longest running weight loss camp for children and young adults in the country, with locations in New York, Georgia, Arizona, California and Texas, Camp Shane has helped thousands of children and their families learn a healthier way to live. Through a program stressing the fun in exercise, proper nutrition, and positive choices, Camp Shane helps kids get on the right path and, through continued support, stay on it for life. For more information on Camp Shane, visit http://www.campshane.com. To view Camp Shane's promotional video, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6lSrAZSCqg&feature=youtu.be.
Mary Bellettieri, Shane Camps & Resorts, http://campshane.com/, +1 914-271-4141, [email protected]
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