The Roy Family Camp Experience!
My son Parker looks forward to TM Camp every year. In 2007, at the age of 4, he was diagnosed with TM, and the effect it has had on his life – and ours – has been life changing. It has been a difficult struggle, and even more difficult is finding others that understand not only what Transverse Myelitis is, but also what it is like to live with this debilitating condition.
Attending camp gives Parker a sense of self, allowing him to just ‘be’ around people who, as he puts it, ‘get him’. The importance of this to any child, especially a pre-teen, is immeasurable! He loves everything about camp: the friends he makes, the fellowship with others who deal with similar issues, and probably above all, the activities tailored just for kids. SRNA Family Camp is a safe place where kids can go have fun doing things they might not otherwise get the chance to do. Things like boating, swimming, participating in wood shop activities, bowling, and best of all… fishing! Parker caught a massive catfish this year, and he was so proud. His accomplishment was such a beautiful and positive result of an activity that gave him a sense of value. It’s all he could talk about for weeks!
To break up the seriousness of the camp content, families were urged to participate in a talent show this year. It was so much fun! Parker had a great idea to have our family simulate a synchronized swimming competition and we all participated. Hearing the audience laugh and laugh gave Parker so much pride, it was hard to suppress my own!
The camp staff is amazing; they make the kids feel special but not ‘different’. By teaching them, by playing with them, and by helping each child create, they ensured that the activities are set so that children with limitations could still participate and feel good about themselves while having the time of their lives! In addition, the medical staff shares a wealth of information that is both needed and appreciated.
The friendships my son creates at camp are so important to him. This season, he was able to really connect with another boy who understood him; this is invaluable to Parker. They played together every day and he couldn’t wait to get up each morning to spend time with his new friend. I can’t express how amazing it was to watch my child go from lonely and misunderstood to gregarious and excited about a friendship.
Also, Parker was old enough to join in the teen group this year, where they held special meeting and discussed real social and emotional struggles they face at school and with everyday life. They were given the opportunity to learn valuable tools to help them cope and succeed in a school setting and beyond.
Personally, I look forward to camp every year because I get to see friends that I have made who truly understand exactly what I go through each day with our own struggles with TM. Some of them have become big parts of our lives and honestly, on some of the hardest days… I wouldn’t make it without the support of these amazing ladies! The parent education portion this year was by far the best it’s ever been. Not only did I learn so much, it was also valuable to hear the perspectives of other parents who have ideas and plans of action I hadn’t thought of. We get to take home a host of new strategies to implement into Parker’s life!
It is hard to express how grateful we are that this camp is available for families like ours. The strategies, information, friendships, and most of all, memories, we take from it each year are simply limitless. We truly appreciate the grant we received this year to help us get there!
~ Laura Roy
