In 1978, Don Scott founded Hodia at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains.

He had a goal of establishing a place where kids and teens with diabetes could come to experience the outdoors, meet others with diabetes, form friendships, and learn self-care skills so they could live full and independent lives.

Our Founder

Don Scott, R.N. | Camp Nurse, Summer Camp Director

Don Scott, our beloved founder and director of Hodia, died in a mountain-climbing accident on August 10, 2011 while hiking with friends and family in Wyoming. Our hearts ache from this untimely loss, especially for Don’s wife, Barb, their children, Isaac, David and Sarah, and other family members. But from this day forward – and for generations to come – we celebrate his rich and inspiring life.

Don was 63 years old, but in many ways he lived several lifetimes. He was humanity at its very best – always giving, always helping, always making life better for everyone he touched.

He was well known as a dedicated pediatric nurse and certified diabetes educator who went above and beyond his job duties for 35 years at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center to lovingly care for thousands of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic children, teaching them and their families how to live successfully with diabetes. But he could never do enough. So, in 1978 he founded Hodia.

Hodia camp activity with kids and adult supervision.

As if this wasn’t enough, Don and his wife Barb, a pediatric oncology nurse at St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute, also gave much of their time as volunteer members of the Northwest Medical Team in faraway places such as Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, responding to natural disasters such as earthquakes and famine.

In his “other life”, Don was surprisingly rugged and adventurous – always taking life to the next level. From SCUBA diving to running marathons, from backpacking to mountain-climbing, his boundless passion for people seemed to translate to a boundless passion for living.

Hodia camp activity with kids and adult supervision.
Don with his daughter Sarah who has been going to camp since 1982.

As one former Hodia camper and volunteer camp staff said: “He’s still there on top of that mountain gazing down at that beautiful site.” Indeed, his love of adventure, his lifelong dedication to his diabetic “family” and to people in need around the world has inspired us to live more playful, adventurous, giving lives.