History & Goals
The Setebaid® Summer Camp Approach
Our summer camp programs take a fun, unique, and hands-on approach to diabetes education.
The “home away from home” element of our camps facilitates valuable real-life learning experiences.
Those who attend our programs return home with a sense of independence and understanding, and new friends who share their same life experiences!
Philosophy
Setebaid Services believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of a thriving organization. As a social services agency building a community to support those affected by diabetes, we implore everyone in our community to share in this philosophy. We empower positive change in the world when everyone in our community from all backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and abilities, are valued and actively engaged in Setebaid camps and programs. Together, we endeavor to create an expansive and inclusive community open to diversity of ideas, experiences, perspectives, and voices. By respecting others beliefs, we share the love which is required to make our camps, programs, and community prosperous.
In addition, Setebaid Services is committed to the health, safety, and welfare of its campers and staff. We take seriously our responsibility to manage risks and continually analyze campers’ well-being and safety, without compromising the purpose of any camping program: to experience the out-of-doors, to build community, to develop camper skills, to have an enjoyable recreational experience, and to foster and develop friendships. The organization understands hands-on education is an effective teaching style.
History & Mission
Setebaid Services® was named by our beloved campers! Believing together we can “turn diabetes around,” our name is diabetes spelled backwards. Our programs began in 1977 and Setebaid Services was officially incorporated in 1998.
Making a Difference for Children living with Type 1 Diabetes
Since our beginning, we have made it our mission to make a difference in each of our camper’s lives.
We have grown tremendously over the years and continue to do so with the help of our campers and their families, alumni, health professional partners, and donors.
We strive to show children living with diabetes they can lead normal, healthy lives. For one week during the summer, they are surrounded by other campers their age who face the same daily struggles of managing diabetes.
In addition, many of the Camp Counselors and other camp staff also have diabetes!
Our goal is to provide a safe and fun atmosphere for children of all ages while teaching them healthy habits as they manage their diabetes.
We operate in a family atmosphere and consistently welcome new members to our Setebaid Family.
Forging Partnerships with Diabetes Educators
Setebaid Services’ objective is to forge partnerships with healthcare providers and diabetes educators to operate diabetes summer camps for their pediatric patients with diabetes. The organization focuses on the individuals, children and teens living with diabetes, and recognizes education is the key to improved health for them.
This prevention model is a catalyst to learning, infusing medical professionals’ expertise, with certified diabetes educators and professional teachers’ educational psychology to improve how we teach youth to manage their diabetes.
Setebaid Services programs serve as the method to teach the youth; our volunteers remain key to improving the lives of the children and families we serve.
Mission
Setebaid Services is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization to enhance the quality of life for people with diabetes and their families by:
- Educating people with diabetes and their families to accept diabetes and maintain good glycemic control while living normal, healthy lives.
- Educating healthcare professionals and training future healthcare professionals to effectively manage and treat people with diabetes.
- Encouraging diabetes research.
Our diabetes summer camps for children and teens meet our mission by educating campers and their families effective ways to manage diabetes while having fun.
- The diabetes management skills learned are more effective because they are “caught not taught”.
- We do not lecture campers or their families, but rather use “teachable moments” throughout the day where we can coach individuals as they manage their own care.
Training Future Healthcare Professionals
Our diabetes camps meet the second part of our mission by training future healthcare professionals. Outstanding institutions partner with us to offer their patients a quality diabetes camp for children and teens.
Prestigious pediatric endocrinology faculty actively participate in our diabetes summer camps; these are the same experts other physicians turn to when they seek expertise for their patients. These partnerships have included
- A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Diabetes Center
- East Carolina University Department of Pediatric Endocrinology
- Geisinger Department of Pediatric Endocrinology
- Hunter College Department of Nutrition
- Lancaster General Hospital Family Practice Program
- The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
- Marywood University Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Neumann University Nurse Practitioner Program
- New York University Department of Nutrition
- PennState University Children’s Hospital Department of Endocrinology
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Summer Camp Goals
Setebaid Services’ summer camps are transformational by…
- Enabling children with diabetes to meet others living with diabetes
- Easing parents’ worries associated with raising a child living with diabetes
- Providing a healthy, enjoyable camp experience for children with diabetes
- Fostering independence by increasing diabetes management skills
- Teaching children living with diabetes is not a restrictive lifestyle
- Enabling children to interact with healthcare professionals in a non-clinical setting
- Training future healthcare professionals effective diabetes management skills in a practical and effective hands-on learning environment
Effective Diabetes Summer Camps
Join us at diabetes summer camps where the education is intentional and effective, and where the campers don’t realize they're learning.
Setebaid summer camps are leaders in the diabetes camping industry with over 40 years of positive experience and exceptional outcomes!
