The Moses E. Cheeks Slam Dunk for Diabetes Basketball Camp, which includes coaches from the Chicago Bulls Training Academy, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon June 22 to 24 in Suite A at Franciscan Omni Health and Fitness, 221 U.S. 41.
The free program is offered for children and young adults, aged 5 to 18, who have diabetes. Diabetes educators from Omni, Franciscan Alliance hospitals and other area health providers, also will be on hand.
The camps, which began in 2005, teach fundamentals of living with diabetes and offer a place where participants gain confidence in a safe, structured and supportive atmosphere, according to the camp website. The program is designed to teach participants the relationship between food, exercise and insulin, as well as basketball skills. It also is designed to teach campers how sports, illnesses and stress affect blood sugar levels, how to make corrections to insulin intake and to demonstrate that diabetes need not prevent one from living a full, active and productive life.
Campers will receive a t-shirt, sports bag, player evaluation form and graduation certificate.
Participant numbers are limited. For more information or to register, contact Monica Joyce, camp director, at (773) 636-3353. More information also is available at www.slamdunkkids.org.
Cheeks was the father of Maurice Cheeks, who was a National Basketball Association coach. Moses Cheeks, who had pancreatic cancer and Type 1 diabetes, was a basketball enthusiast who was instrumental in planning the camp.
