There are camps for children with cancer or muscular dystrophy, but not many for children who require a ventilator, BiPAP, or CPAP to breathe. This is due to the need for total care 24 hours a day. In addition to the total care, ventilator dependent children often are also wheelchair bound, which limits the availability of camp locations. That all changed in 1993, when a small group of small group of respiratory therapists, under the leadership of RT Pam Smith, founded PA Vent Camp. Since its inception, camp has grown from 14 to nearly 40 campers each year.