Submitted
Jamie Mitchell, Executive Director of CHAMP Camp, spoke to Cicero Kiwanis on Saturday, Aug. 19.
Established 34 years ago, CHAMP Camp provides a summer camp experience for children and adolescents with tracheostomies and those who require technological respiratory assistance. Prior to CHAMP Camp, children with such needs had extremely limited opportunities to enjoy an overnight outdoor experience and their families needed to be with them.
Through this camp experience, children spend a week independent of their families, fully participate in fun and challenging activities, and meet others who have similar medical issues. Volunteer counselors, who are in the medical field, provide the attention and medical expertise these kiddos need. Their families are then able to have a respite from the ongoing care they give.
Photo provided by Cicero Kiwanis
How valuable is this experience? Mitchell related several “camp success stories,” with one particularly standing out.
Reid, a wheelchair dependent youngster, was not thrilled to be at camp at first. He didn’t smile or engage and, because he was young, counselors weren’t sure he’d stay. After making a friend at camp and participating in a few activities, he began smiling. A few weeks after camp ended, Mitchell had a conversation with Reid’s mother about camp, during which, the mom talked about how the boy the family took to camp was not the boy who came home. She said that he was smiling and laughing so much more: “It [camp] changed our world.”
CHAMP stands for Children Have a Lot of Motivation and Potential, and the camp offers opportunities for these children who have specialized needs. The overall camp experience is rewarding to campers and volunteers alike.
The Kiwanis Club of Cicero was so inspired by CHAMP Camp’s mission, its success, and how it transforms the lives of everyone involved, club members felt compelled to contribute $200 toward next year’s no-cost to the kids camp.