Discovery of Life
Smiling so much that my face hurts! (excerpt from journal at Camp John Marc)
These are the scenes. Kids laughing, playing, and swimming; multi-colored pills at every meal and every place setting; kids in canoes and on horseback; dialysis machines in the infirmary and in cabins; kids climbing walls 6 times their height and walking on ropes or wires like a circus high-wire act; surgical scars on the bodies of every child. These are the scenes . . . the contrasting scenes at Camp John Marc. These are the beautiful and loving kids of Camp John Marc.
In June, I spent one week as a volunteer cabin counselor with more than 70 children (ages 8 – 18) at Camp John Marc, host to Camp Reynal for children with kidney and urology disease. At the foot of the hill country, about an hour and a half south of Dallas, Camp John Marc is a non-profit camp for special needs kids. Though Camp John Marc is about the unique needs of diverse groups of challenged kids, these kids bring their common ailments and stories to camp where they, for once in their lives, are neither different nor a minority.
You know, when I first thought of writing this article, I thought about describing the value of a week of my vacation in terms of dollars or even – more creatively – children’s smiles . . . but that’s the finance side of me emerging. After experiencing the week itself, I realize this experience is not about me and what I give up, but about the children and what they gain.
Through the discovery of life, the Reynal family of campers gain self-esteem, self-confidence and a new appreciation for nature and the outdoors. Never before have I seen such bravery and a zest for life and discovery. What they give back is inspiration to me and every other individual whose paths they cross.
Picture this . . . an 8-year-old kidney patient’s first ride in a canoe and first mount on a horse. The fear in his face on day one is transformed into ear-to-ear smiles on day two. How about . . . a 9-year-old kidney transplant patient with a bone disease called Rickets which causes bowing of the legs. During a competitive game of kickball this 9-year-old dives into first, dives into second . . . I think you get the picture. Try to visualize this . . . an evening of entertainment performed by a man with no arms playing the guitar with his feet. And nature . . . nature is at a premium for these kids, many of whom have lead sheltered lives as a result of many illnesses and surgeries. A wilderness scavenger hunt leads to the discovery of frogs, rabbits, deer, spiders, flowers, dirt, creeks, and an old fish that lives in the camp lake. Navo is the spirit of a woodchuck who brings gifts and writes letters to the campers. Children have the faith and imagination to keep those traditions and ideals alive.
A day in the life at Camp John Marc is pretty standard, with a few minor twists. Reveille at 7 a.m., breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by the intake of more pills and medicine than I hope to ingest in a lifetime. These aren’t Flintstones Vitamins. These are medicines, or “meds” as the kids call them, for high blood pressure, transplant anti-rejection, and lots of other ailments caused by their disease and often by the cures themselves. The remainder of the morning and much of the afternoon is spent in canoes, on horses, in the swimming pool (the kids’ favorite), at the ropes course, or at arts and crafts. Meds follow every meal in equal and large quantities. Dialysis is performed three times a week, 4-6 hours at a time for some kids; every night, all night long for others. In the evening, the camp staff and volunteers do our best to keep the kids entertained. The barn, with its endless choices of basketball, football, softball, ping pong, horseshoes and more, is always the choice for kids with a little extra energy . . . oh yea, that’s all kids. After a ride back to the cabin on the counselor’s shoulders (that’s me), lights out at 10:00. Lights out is usually followed by the typical noises of trickery that kids engage in after dark. I’ll leave it to the readers’ active imaginations and diverse parental experiences to figure that out.
Well, I know I said that Camp John Marc was about kids. Well, I lied a little. A week with these special kids is a week I will never forget. The kids are full of life, full of energy and boldly take on the challenges that lie ahead. These are not the challenges of product roll out or increasing bookings; these are the challenges of life and death. It was not just the kids discovering life, it was me!
- Corey Ladd
These are the scenes. Kids laughing, playing, and swimming; multi-colored pills at every meal and every place setting; kids in canoes and on horseback; dialysis machines in the infirmary and in cabins; kids climbing walls 6 times their height and walking on ropes or wires like a circus high-wire act; surgical scars on the bodies of every child. These are the scenes . . . the contrasting scenes at Camp John Marc. These are the beautiful and loving kids of Camp John Marc.
In June, I spent one week as a volunteer cabin counselor with more than 70 children (ages 8 – 18) at Camp John Marc, host to Camp Reynal for children with kidney and urology disease. At the foot of the hill country, about an hour and a half south of Dallas, Camp John Marc is a non-profit camp for special needs kids. Though Camp John Marc is about the unique needs of diverse groups of challenged kids, these kids bring their common ailments and stories to camp where they, for once in their lives, are neither different nor a minority.
You know, when I first thought of writing this article, I thought about describing the value of a week of my vacation in terms of dollars or even – more creatively – children’s smiles . . . but that’s the finance side of me emerging. After experiencing the week itself, I realize this experience is not about me and what I give up, but about the children and what they gain.
Through the discovery of life, the Reynal family of campers gain self-esteem, self-confidence and a new appreciation for nature and the outdoors. Never before have I seen such bravery and a zest for life and discovery. What they give back is inspiration to me and every other individual whose paths they cross.
Picture this . . . an 8-year-old kidney patient’s first ride in a canoe and first mount on a horse. The fear in his face on day one is transformed into ear-to-ear smiles on day two. How about . . . a 9-year-old kidney transplant patient with a bone disease called Rickets which causes bowing of the legs. During a competitive game of kickball this 9-year-old dives into first, dives into second . . . I think you get the picture. Try to visualize this . . . an evening of entertainment performed by a man with no arms playing the guitar with his feet. And nature . . . nature is at a premium for these kids, many of whom have lead sheltered lives as a result of many illnesses and surgeries. A wilderness scavenger hunt leads to the discovery of frogs, rabbits, deer, spiders, flowers, dirt, creeks, and an old fish that lives in the camp lake. Navo is the spirit of a woodchuck who brings gifts and writes letters to the campers. Children have the faith and imagination to keep those traditions and ideals alive.
A day in the life at Camp John Marc is pretty standard, with a few minor twists. Reveille at 7 a.m., breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by the intake of more pills and medicine than I hope to ingest in a lifetime. These aren’t Flintstones Vitamins. These are medicines, or “meds” as the kids call them, for high blood pressure, transplant anti-rejection, and lots of other ailments caused by their disease and often by the cures themselves. The remainder of the morning and much of the afternoon is spent in canoes, on horses, in the swimming pool (the kids’ favorite), at the ropes course, or at arts and crafts. Meds follow every meal in equal and large quantities. Dialysis is performed three times a week, 4-6 hours at a time for some kids; every night, all night long for others. In the evening, the camp staff and volunteers do our best to keep the kids entertained. The barn, with its endless choices of basketball, football, softball, ping pong, horseshoes and more, is always the choice for kids with a little extra energy . . . oh yea, that’s all kids. After a ride back to the cabin on the counselor’s shoulders (that’s me), lights out at 10:00. Lights out is usually followed by the typical noises of trickery that kids engage in after dark. I’ll leave it to the readers’ active imaginations and diverse parental experiences to figure that out.
Well, I know I said that Camp John Marc was about kids. Well, I lied a little. A week with these special kids is a week I will never forget. The kids are full of life, full of energy and boldly take on the challenges that lie ahead. These are not the challenges of product roll out or increasing bookings; these are the challenges of life and death. It was not just the kids discovering life, it was me!
- Corey Ladd