Kids with Type 1 Diabetes Learn to Thrive at Camp Red Jacket

For a young child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, life can suddenly seem unfair and no longer “normal.” They feel different because they always have to test their blood sugar, or go to the school nurse before meals and exercise. They are often the only student in their school with a chronic illness, making them feel different than all the other kids.

Fortunately, in the Lehigh Valley, Camp Red Jacket is here to help. For the past 25 years Camp Red Jacket has helped kids with type 1 diabetes learn they’re not alone and taught them how to  live a full life while successfully managing their diabetes.

Marie Stitzel is the Clinical Coordinator at LVHN’s Diabetes and Metabolism Center. She has run Camp Red Jacket for the past decade and says she sees incredible transformations in kids each year as they learn to live with their condition and see others doing the same.

“Campers who are newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and have never given themselves an injection come to camp and learn how to do it on their own,” she says. “They leave with the knowledge and the confidence to give themselves injections without parental support. This goes a long way in helping them gain their independence.”

She says campers also see other campers using technology like pumps and sensors and this makes it feel acceptable and normal. They leave feeling more comfortable knowing others wear devices, so it must be OK.

Sensors are wearable devices that continually monitor glucose levels. They help improve monitoring diabetes in children, but some kids are resistant due to the stigma they might bring. “Campers don’t all wear sensors but may be agreeable during camp week to wear one and decide at the end of camp to continue wearing one,” says Stitzel.

Jayde Hooven-Davis, MD, was a camper at the very first Camp Red Jacket.

Dr. Hooven-Davis went on to become a Camp Red Jacket camp counselor and today is a pediatric endocrinologist because of her experiences.

“Fast forward several years after attending as a camper, I became a junior counselor at Camp Red Jacket and discovered that there are so many lived experiences, troubleshooting strategies and emotions that we can share with one another to make life a little easier,” she says. “Conversations with my campers and their parents have inspired me to this day, guiding me on my journey to become a pediatric endocrinologist.”

The free day camp for children ages 6-12 with type 1 diabetes is run by the Diabetes and Metabolism Center at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health. In addition to camp counselors, there are professionals on hand to help run the camp and educate the kids. This includes certified diabetes educators, social workers, physicians and advanced practice clinicians specializing in diabetes management and registered dietitians.

All week long, children enjoy adventurous activities, while learning how to survive and thrive with their condition. Activities include arts and crafts, swimming, lazy creek tubing, archery and more. There is time daily for campers to test their blood glucose levels and experts from LVHN fitness teach yoga, obstacle courses and more to encourage exercise and healthy habits.

Located at Camp Fowler in Orefield, this year’s camp has 43 campers and 29 junior counselors. Over the years there have been up to 60 campers and 20-25 junior counselors.

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body stops producing insulin. The cause in not known and there is no cure, but it can be effectively managed. Left unchecked, type 1 diabetes can cause complications to major organs of the body including heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage, kidney damage and eye damage. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 300,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S. annually.