Hannah was 15 when she first attended CHAMP Camp. Until then, she had never stayed with anyone other than her immediate family or a nurse. Understandably, she was a little skeptical about going to camp without us.
At the time, campers were encouraged to leave their cell phones at home.
Hannah’s exact words? “But what will I do if I need you?”
We assured her she would be safe and cared for, with counselors, doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists who understood her needs. Her dad and I, along with her older sister, Brianna, encouraged her to take this step.
When we arrived, Hannah had a welcoming squad waiting! We unloaded, headed to her cabin, reviewed medications with the nurse, and set up her equipment.
Then another camper arrived.
And that was it.
Hannah immediately went over to meet her. I quietly told her goodbye, and her dad and I left. Pretty anticlimactic, given all her reservations!
When we picked her up, she couldn’t stop talking about her new best friends. Before we even left the park, she’d asked to come back the next year.
She returned in 2019, participated in virtual camp in 2020 and 2021, and graduated as a camper in 2022.
Unbeknownst to me, Hannah and Brianna had made a pact. Once Hannah graduated, Brianna would apply to be a counselor. After Hannah’s required year off, they would both return as counselors.
Brianna joined in 2023. Hannah followed in 2024. They’ve returned together every summer since.
As a parent, one of my greatest thrills has been helping them load the car and watching them head off to what has become their home in the woods.
But CHAMP Camp’s impact goes far beyond a week of fun and friendships.
Hannah’s experiences gave her the confidence to strive for independence, solve problems, and seek help outside her comfort zone.
And this kid, who has had a nurse or trained caregiver by her side for most of her life?
She’s successfully attended camp as a counselor, without an aide.
That confidence has carried into her everyday life. She’s now in her second year working as a sign language aide, independently, without a nurse. Something that once seemed so far outside her comfort zone.
When I think back to that nervous 15-year-old asking, “But what will I do if I need you?” I can’t help but smile at how far she’s come.
And now, she and Brianna get to help give those same experiences to another generation of campers.
We will be forever grateful to everyone who makes CHAMP Camp such a safe, welcoming, and fun place for kids who might otherwise never get to experience camp.
What started with a nervous 15-year-old has become one of the greatest gifts our family could have received.