Better Health & Living
A Breath Of Fresh Air
Camp lets kids with asthma enjoy the summer
Published in Tyler, TX local spotlight | 0 Comments, Talk about this article »
For children with severe asthma, camp is usually out of the question. Vigorous activity triggers breathing problems, leaving them discouraged and on the sidelines. To make matters worse, most summer camp counselors usually don’t know what to do to help.
Fortunately, that’s not the case at Texas Asthma Camp for Kids. Held on a sprawling 350-acre facility on the shores of Lake Tyler near Tyler, this camp is a safe haven each summer for hundreds of kids with asthma. The camp is run by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, and the charitable Texas Chest Foundation helps families with tuition.
Campers ages 7 to 14 enjoy karaoke night, fishing, swimming, sports, and games as they learn to use a breathing controller and rescue inhaler correctly. With inhaler pouches swinging from their necks, they romp through activities they might have previously feared. These severely asthmatic kids are monitored closely by nurses and respiratory therapists.
“If you manage your asthma, you can do anything,” camp director Rhonda Scoby reminds a group on a sunny summer day near the end of session. “Our message is, ‘You’re in control.‘“
It is a message 14-year-old Brandon Hairl has learned well. He has attended the camp for the past four years and credits it for changing his view on life. “I realized I can do more stuff, even with asthma,” he says. “Because of camp, I’ve lost weight and feel confident.”
“Every day is so fun,” says Kalifornia Harris, 11. “Lots of kids at school make fun of you for having asthma, but here, nobody does.”
At this camp, everyone has asthma attacks. Everyone suffers bouts of wheezing. And everyone understands.
Fun With A Purpose
During a typical camp day, kids huddle in excitement around George, a docile golden retriever from Therapet, a nonprofit organization that uses pets to help people who have health issues. George patiently stands still as Christopher Godfrey, 9, lovingly pets his face. Because animals can trigger attacks, sometimes kids with asthma are reluctant to touch a dog. Perhaps without even realizing it, the young campers are learning that if they wash their hands, they, too, can handle animals, explains Scoby.
All the campers seem to know for sure is that they are having fun. And that is the goal of the Texas Asthma Camp for Kids.. “For many, this is the only camp their parents are comfortable with them going to,” notes Scoby. “It has to be fun.”
FYI
For more information about Texas Asthma Camp for Kids., contact the UT Health Science Center at Tyler at 903-877-7075 or visit the camp’s website, www.texasasthmacamp.com.
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