LEWISVILLE– For 15-year-old Mikaela Jauregui, it’s her skin that has always draws people’s attention.
When I was younger, I would get bullied because I looked different,” Mikaela said. “People have always come up to me and said, ‘Why does your skin look different than ours?’ That`s always been a part of it.’
Mikaela is one of many teens around the world who suffer from eczema. It’s a non-contagious skin disease that has caused her pain and affected her confidence.
“That is something that held me back when I was a kid, because my skin would get so bad I was afraid to be myself.”
But last year she found a place where she could finally be herself.
Camp Wonder, in California, allows kids with various skin diseases to forget about their troubles for a bit.
Pamela Baker will be headed to the camp as a first-time volunteer camp counselor. “Galderma has participated in the Camp Wonder camp for a number of years, and so when I heard about it this year, I jumped on it and was really excited. One: not to just get a week off from work but also to be able to give back and to have an opportunity to spend time with kids and let them just be kids.’
“At one point during the week I completely forgot that I was at camp wonder because how much fun I was having,” said Jauregui.
Mikaela will be headed back for her second year at the camp this summer. and says the impact has changed her outlook and has shown her, that her beauty is more than skin deep. “Camp showed me that, yes I have a skin disease, but you shouldn’t let it define you.”