Pharmacy faculty and students make a difference at Alabama diabetes camps

For more than five decades, Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy’s (HCOP) faculty and students have stepped outside the classroom to deliver care to Alabama’s most vulnerable pediatric patients. At summer medical camps across the state, HCOP volunteers help children build confidence, independence and lifelong self‑care skills.

Operated by the non-profit Southeastern Diabetes Education Services (SDES), Camp Seale Harris was founded in 1949 as the first diabetes camp in the South. The overnight, family and day camp options, held at multiple locations across the state, strive to teach kids to live well by increasing self-care skills and facilitating lasting friendships, while providing a traditional camp experience.

“These outreach experiences strengthen communities, expand access to care and prepare health professionals who understand the impact of compassionate, collaborative practice,” said Dr. Kimberly Braxton‑Lloyd, HCOP’s associate dean for clinical affairs and outreach.

HCOP’s partnership with the camp began with the late associate professor John Tanja, who, along with many students, volunteered for 20 years. In 2015, Dr. Heather Whitley, clinical professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and a nationally recognized diabetes management expert, picked up Tanja’s legacy.

“Camp Seale Harris is among the most meaningful experiential learning environments we offer,” said Whitley. “HCOP students don’t just practice diabetes management, they integrate into the camp, live beside the kids with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and become part of the interprofessional healthcare team,”

Whitley has served as preceptor for more than 35 pharmacy students and residents. Along with other faculty, like Dr. Miranda Andrus, clinical professor, they have dedicated thousands of hours of service at the camps. From the HCOP campus in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Emily McCoy, assistant dean and associate clinical professor, and Dr. Glady’s Heard, curriculum coordinator, have volunteered at the Camp Seale Harris Coastal Camp at Camp Grace.

“No other opportunity allows students to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it in the real-world setting where they not only connect with the individuals they are caring for but live with them for a 24/7 experience,” said Whitley. “By the end of the week, students have administered hundreds of insulin injections, evaluated thousands of blood glucose tests and gained so much more than what can be described because they had to walk alongside these campers, through highs and lows, for days on end.”   

Emma Sims, a member of the Class of 2027, was given the opportunity to complete a portion of her ambulatory care Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotation with Whitley at the camp. Sims and two other fourth year students participated in camp activities, while monitoring the campers’ blood sugar, receiving hands-on experience that, according to Sims, was unlike anything taught in a classroom.

“I was able to tangibly see how activities like swimming, running, relaxing and sleeping had different effects on blood sugar,” said Sims. “I was able to gain confidence in correcting low blood sugars poolside, checking for ketones at the lake and documenting blood sugar trends during 2 a.m. rounds,” Sims added.

In addition to gaining valuable experience dosing multiple daily insulin injections, Sims said that the insight from campers was especially eye-opening. “Campers shared how they were diagnosed, what a ‘low’ or a ‘high’ felt like, preferred insulin regimens and how living with T1D doesn’t stop them from doing what they love,” said Sims.

Rhonda McDavid, SDES Executive Director, said that the camp was thankful for the longstanding relationship with HCOP. “Building independence and confidence in management of T1D is our primary goal for each child, and the HCOP team is on the front line of helping each child succeed,” said McDavid.