Ilianna first fell in love with Camp Jabberwocky as a high school sophomore after seeing their famously creative float in the Edgartown Fourth of July Parade. “I just knew I wanted to be part of that!” she says. Too young to be a counselor her first summer, she tried again the following year, was accepted, and hasn’t missed a summer since. Describing camp, she says, “You cry when you get there because you're so excited, and you cry when you leave because you have to wait 365 days to go back!”

 

Every day at Camp Jabberwocky is different. While many campers love routine, the staff’s goal is to make things more spontaneous. Mornings might include yoga, archery, art, or baking. Afternoons at the beach are followed by evenings filled with concerts, dance parties, or community events. There's no limit at camp,” Ilianna says. “If a camper wants to ride a horse, we get them on a horse. If they want to fly a biplane, we'll figure it out. If you wish it, and it's safe enough, we make it happen.”

 

Returning each summer for two weeks, Ilianna has formed lifelong friendships with campers and counselors, and the experience has shaped her career path. Working with campers who have disabilities or more complex medical needs showed her the importance of having advocates who truly understand their care. Building on her experience at Mass General Hospital, where she worked as a medical scribe, clinical research coordinator, and medical technician in the emergency room, she is now in her first year at Northeastern University’s Physician Assistant program. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health and hopes to focus her clinical career on caring for patients with Down syndrome or autism.

 

Ilianna’s experience at Camp Jabberwocky has given her a lens on care for patients with special needs that is rarely taught in a classroom. “Camp is the reason I want to be a medical professional so that I can figure out how we can best serve people like my campers who are looking for better access, a strong voice, or just someone to listen and understand.”