At the TUM campus in Munich, the KidsTUMove team has been developing various exercise programs for children and adolescents with chronic diseases since 2007, with the aim of strengthening the long-term health of the grown-ups.
The program includes a one-week vacation camp in the Alps, where participants can experience a variety of winter sports. In February, KidsTUMove organized such a winter camp in Sterzing, Italy. The 25 children and teenagers from Germany and Italy, aged between 7 and 18, had a week full of activities to enjoy without the accompaniment of their parents. Qualified sports scientists, pediatricians and instructors supervised the participants, including children with diabetes, congenital heart disease and obesity.
The camp aims to provide children access to winter sports such as alpine skiing or ice skating under professional supervision. In a protected environment, physical abilities can be improved, self-confidence can be strengthened and intercultural and social exchange among the children can be promoted. In this context, children recover from complex operations and live with physical impairments or survivors after a completed cancer therapy, are given the opportunity to positively influence their physical activity behavior. After all, regular physical activity can prevent secondary diseases or late effects of the therapy in adulthood.
Following this example, the consortium of KidsTUMove goes Europe – cordially fit aims at the promotion of physical activity programs for this target group in Europe. The manual is intended to support instructors in the development and implementation of sports programs for children and adolescents with chronic diseases. In this project, the partners organize a multiplier sport event for children and adolescents in all participating countries.
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