For Marsha Estep, pediatric diabetes is something that hits close to home.

Her soon-to-be son, Gage, has diabetes. She and her family will be adopting Gage in a few months.

“Gage has had diabetes since the age of 7,” Estep said. “Sometimes, he comes to me and says, ‘It really stinks having diabetes, Mom.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, it does.’ How do you answer that?”

Approximately 50 people and two dogs took part in the Pediatric Diabetes Walk, hosted by the Lehighton Lioness Lions Club and held at St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon Campus, Franklin Township. The group circled the outside of the hospital building several times, about one mile.

Estep, who works in the Emergency Room at St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon Campus also is a member of the Lehighton Lioness Lions Club. It was her dealing with pediatric diabetes that led the club to host this walk, their first time doing so.

“Our purpose for doing this walk is to bring attention, make people aware that this can happen to anyone,” Estep said. “If it is successful, we’d love to continue doing it.”

Pediatric diabetes refers to diabetes that occurs in children and adolescents, primarily including type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body does not produce insulin, while type 2 diabetes is often related to lifestyle factors and insulin resistance.

Dr. Pamela Abrams, a pediatric endocrinologist and medical director for Pediatric Specialty Services at St. Luke’s, was the guest speaker at the walk.

“This is such a great event,” Abrams said. “When I started at St Luke’s in 2012, the data showed there were about 15,000 kids every year being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. A few years ago, it was 18,000. Now, it’s closer to 20,000.”

“We don’t have a cure; we do have a lot of really good treatments,” Abrams said. “We have insulin, insulin pumps, glucose monitors, and there is a lot of research that is going into both better treatments and some day a cure.”

“Events like this really help raise awareness, and the more we all contribute in participating in these kinds of activities and promote more research going into better treatments and a cure, the healthier our kids will be.”

St. Luke’s has about 220 kids with type 1 diabetes currently, and about 300 more that are adults now.

Estep’s son, Gage, addressed the crowd before the walk.

“My name is Gage and I have Type 1 diabetes. I had it since I was 7 years old. Dr. Abrams has helped me to regulate my sugars, which keeps me out of the hospital. I used to have to stick myself eight times a day before I got an insulin pump. Dr. Abrams has worked with my family, and keep me regulated and healthy.”

The Lehighton Lioness Lions Club also had their food trailer, selling all kinds of hot foods, such as burgers, hot dogs and homemade soups.

The Pediatric Specialist Team from St. Luke’s was available to promote what is available to children and their parents or guardians, and the Lehighton Ambulance Association had displays and offered tours of two of the ambulances.