Camp del Corazon's FamFest has been converted into a virtual event this year due to COVID-19. What does this mean? I will be doing a 30 day challenge for the month of October: yoga for an hour a day, three days a week to benefit Camp del Corazon.
WHO is CAMP DEL CORAZON?
Camp del Corazon is an incredible non-profit organization that for over 25 years has been enabling kids (ages 7-17) with congenital heart disease (CHD) to participate in the life-changing experience of camp on Catalina Island every summer. Staffed with volunteer doctors, nurses and loads of incredible people, Camp del Corazon empowers these kids to say yes to every experience...kayaking, snorkeling, high ropes course, rock climbing, and endless adventure and team building challenges. This experience transforms campers and camp counselors alike, as it did me during my first year as a camp counselor last summer. Camp is more than an experience, it is a feeling and a community. It is a feeling that propels campers and the entire camp family 365 days a year.
WHY?
I was born with a complex congenital heart defect, Shone's complex (multiple left-sided heart defects). I have had 4 open heart surgeries and grew up in continual cardiac care with physical limitations as a child. When I went to summer camps as a kid I was painfully aware of how different my heart condition made me from my peers, as I needed special accommodations or wasn't able to participate in the activities. A valve replacement surgery at age 15 enabled me to thrive and live a quality of life I had never known. At age 30 I became symptomatic again and went into heart failure. I had two OHS within 16 months and really struggled in my recovery.
This is when I discovered the greater CHD community and realized I was not alone in my experiences. Last year was my first year at camp as co-counselor to Dinghy (7-8 year old girls). Those 5 days were the most exhausting yet fulfilling 5 days of my life. I was energized by the absolute transformation of my campers in those 5 days: the confidence they gained, the friendships they made, the experience of thriving with their peers. It was magic.
CHD is the #1 birth defect, affecting 1 in 100 babies! It is a large and growing community that thanks to advances in cardiology and CT surgery, is living longer and thriving. Every CHD kid should experience the magic of camp. But wait, there's more...did I mention that camp is also FREE to every kid!! Talk about magic!!
But wait, there's still more...Camp now extends beyond age 17! The P.A.C.E. program supports 18-25 year olds as they transition to adulthood, particularly as they navigate transitioning their specialized care to adult practitioners and empowering them to become their own best health advocate! FOR FREE.
That kind of magic can only happen through the generosity of people like you! Now is the time to support the organizations closest to your heart to help them stay afloat during these challenging times. If it doesn't create a hardship, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support my fundraising efforts for Camp del Corazon. In these uncertain times, every little bit helps: $2, $5, $10...it all adds up and makes a difference, a HUGE difference in the life of so many kids. I plan to support Camp del Corazon for life; I hope you will too!
Camp love,
Emily (Muppet)