Camp Taylor is a camp for kids with congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is the number one birth defect of all children. It kills more children than all childhood cancers combined. Camp Taylor was started 11 years ago by Kim Gamino after her son Taylor was born with heart disease. She wanted to create a place for him where he could show his scar and talk about the many difficulties that accompany living with heart disease. It has grown into one of the most magical places on Earth and has changed so many lives. Including mine.
I watched camp change my sister and wanted to be part of that. But after the first year volunteering at camp I realized I wasnt helping these kids- they were helping me! I can't thank Camp Taylor enough. It literally saves lives.
Now go donate everything you have to it! :) www.kidsheartcamp.org
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| Emily a couple weeks after her sixth open heart surgery |
This year's camp theme was "Superheroes". So fitting for these kids. They are all my heroes! Many of these kids have spent way too much of their lives in hospitals getting poked, tested and having their chests cut open too many times. They endure teasing, stares and cruelty at school. They deal with stresses that the rest of us cant even imagine. And they smile and laugh and love with an unconditional love and acceptance that cant be matched.
Camp has a way of just enveloping you in love from the very first moment. It is filled with amazing counselors, doctors, nurses, golf cart drivers, cooks, directors and campers! The love is so apparent and beautiful it is hard to keep from crying the whole week. It's hard to express- just go and see for yourself!
This is Emily (my sister) a month old on the top and five years old on the bottom.
Challenges and stress over heart conditions do not end after surgeries or when you leave the hospital. That is just the beginning. The emotional challenges that come after are hard to deal with- but Camp Taylor makes it so much easier!
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| This is Shon. Quite the ladies man and a stellar dancer! |
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| Our poor campers had some sick counselors. They were angels and went on missions to bring us granola bars and water . I think they enjoyed the independence. :) Also isn't that an extremely creative room layout? |
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| Jocelyn and her date Shon. :) I was so blessed to be co-counselors with Jocelyn! She has been with Camp Taylor from the very beginning and started S.I.B.S.- a group for siblings of heart campers. She is another hero of mine who works tirelessly and unselfishly for all around her! I already miss my time with her! |
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| Fantastic 8! Such a wonderful and sweet group of girls! Miss them all already! |
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| Faith- our cute boy crazy girl with endless energy! |
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| Friendliest cabin award! |
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| Beauties before the dance! |
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| So much excitement! |
A wonderful week full of wobbling, coughing and laughing that I wished lasted all year long! I will miss next years camp because I will be in Chile- but hopefully that is the last camp I will ever have to miss! It is such a blessing to be part of the Camp Taylor family. Please find some way to help Camp Taylor! These kids need it- we all do! It is like Christmas morning for these campers when they arrive. They literally wait all year for these five days. There is no place like this in the world!
I could go on forever about how amazing Camp Taylor is- but you will just have to go see it for yourself!
