Camp Rise Above

Kayla and Lucas have been fortunate to attend a local camp that serves kids with different health issues for the past few summers.

Camp Rise Above is a fun 2-day camp experience (with plans to expand to be a weekly over-night camp) that offers rock climbing, archery, fishing, canoeing and a trip to the water park among other activities.

Kayla started attending this camp several years ago going to the session for kids with Heart and Kidney issues. This summer they added a camp that was for kids with Down syndrome. I was a bit conflicted as she had been going to the Heart and Kidney one for a couple years and did fine at that session - I didn't feel she 'needed' a camp specifically for kids with Ds, and I liked the idea of her being in the other session because she was with mostly typically-developing peers. I'm all for inclusive opportunities like that - not just for Kayla, but for the other campers to have the experience of being included with someone who has a different chromosome make-up. But one of Kayla's best friends was going to the Ds camp and I could split car pool time with her mom (which helps because the camp is about 45 min away), so she went to the Down syndrome session this year.

Lucas attends the session for kids with asthma. He was diagnosed a few years ago, but thankfully it seems to be pretty well under control.

Kayla didn't attend the camp last year because the date coincided with a sleep-away camp she attended. This past July we were in Greenville (3 hrs away) walking down Main St when this guy walking towards us stopped to ask me, "Is her name Kaylee?" I said, "It's Kayla." as I'm trying to figure out how he must know her; and then he asked Kayla if she remembered him from camp. He was one of her counselors from a couple of years ago and said she was one of his favorite campers (and asked about her last year when she wasn't there). I think the feeling was mutual as you can see from this photo of a couple of years ago. Small world, indeed!

Lucas had a great time with his counselor, and if I remember right, he's going to Spain ...hopefully he'll be at camp next summer so Lucas can hear all about that.

Our local ABC News 4 channel did several news pieces highlighting the different camps and experiences offered to the campers.

This video has several clips of Kayla - the first time she appears she's coming down the water slide in a blue and yellow swim shirt.


Lucas is in a couple quick scenes in this video - sitting on the picnic table while talking about the cookie challenge.



I'm glad they have this opportunity to attend this camp and they look forward to it every summer.