With Camp Discovery Visit, Boehringer Shows Support for Children with Chronic Skin Conditions

Life with a chronic skin condition can be difficult. In addition to dealing with physical symptoms like itching, pain, rash or dry skin that can make daily life uncomfortable, people living with these conditions often face judgement or isolation as a result of the publicly visible symptoms and chronic nature of their disease. 

The physical and emotional burden of these diseases is profound, but it can be especially so for children who, at the same time, are navigating the normal challenges of adolescence. So says Brandon, who was diagnosed with generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP)—a rare and debilitating skin disease.

“GPP has been a long, hard battle that I’ve had to deal with. It’s a condition that is going to set me apart from everybody,” says Brandon. “Sometimes I don’t want to go out. I don’t want to be in public. I don’t want anybody to see me. All I want to do is hide. And I do.”

Inspired by the experiences of young people like Brandon who are living with chronic skin conditions, the American Academy of Dermatology introduced Camp Discovery in 1993—a week-long camp experience for kids with chronic skin conditions that range from psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and alopecia to epidermolysis bullosa and ichthyosis. 

Camp Discovery serves about 300 children each year in cities across the United States. This year, Boehringer Ingelheim was honored to join campers at Camp Discovery in Millville, PA to demonstrate its support for those facing chronic skin conditions.

“We have heard from people of all ages how difficult and isolating it can be to deal with chronic skin conditions, like psoriasis—particularly a rare disease like generalized pustular psoriasis,” says Mani Sivaramakrishnan, US Head of Sales and Marketing, Dermatology/Rare Disease, who represented Boehringer at Camp Discovery. “To have a resource like Camp Discovery available to young people and their families to help them feel less alone in that journey is incredibly special, and it was an honor to be a part of their experience.”

In addition to offering traditional camp activities like horseback riding, fishing, swimming, and archery, the experience also offers campers support and a sense of community among other young people with similar conditions.

This sense of support that campers feel can translate to powerful moments. 

“During our time at Camp Discovery, I met a mother who told me that her son rode his bike for the first time at camp this year. She told me he never would have done that if not for the support of his peers. They were giving him tips to help him feel comfortable and try something new,” recalls Sivaramakrishnan. “As a fellow mother, that resonated with me…to see a child try something new and know that he felt empowered enough to do so speaks volumes about the sense of community that has been created there.”

For more information about Camp Discovery, visit the AAD website. To find support and resources for GPP and hear from others, like Brandon, who are navigating life with a chronic skin disease, visit GPPandMe.com.