Youth Camp 2019
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- photo courtesy Lisa Gausman, senior editor Ostomy Canada Magazine
Another Great Week at Ostomy Youth Camp! by Sandra Morris, Ostomy Youth Camp Coordinator, Vancouver Chapter
This year the Vancouver Chapter sponsored 11 campers to attend the Ostomy Youth Camp! We are able to do this because of the generous donations we receive from our membership, their friends and families, community groups, and other donors. Thank you! I’ve been the Youth Camp Coordinator for more than 10 years (!) and every year I write an article about camp for the Sept/Oct issue of our newsletter. Before I launch into it, I’d like to direct you to the Letters & News section, [in the September 2019 issue of Highlife] where there are several notes of thanks and appreciation from some of our campers and their parents. What they have to say captures how life-changing going to camp can be for these kids. Their letters, more than anything I could write, demonstrate this. Who are our campers? The camp is for children with ostomies, or who may require surgery in future resulting in an ostomy. They range in age from 9 to 19. (Our youngest camper was 13). They may have an ileostomy, colostomy, mitrofanoff, and/or cecostomy. The reasons for their ostomies include inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s), birth defects (spina bifida, bladder exstrophy) and accidents. Where is the Ostomy Youth Camp? The Ostomy Youth Camp takes place at Camp Horizon, an Easter Seals camp located near Bragg Creek, Alberta, just southwest of Calgary. Ostomy Canada contracts with Easter Seals, which operates and manages the camp. Kids come from all across Canada to attend the Ostomy Youth Camp. Our 11 sponsored campers (picture above) all live in British Columbia. Want to help sponsor a child to attend camp in 2020? Now two ways to donate -- by cheque (below) or online (at right) A donation cheque can be made out to: UOA Vancouver Chapter PLEASE NOTE ON THE MEMO LINE THAT YOUR DONATION IS FOR THE WENDY IRVINE YOUTH FUND AND INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS TO RECEIVE A TAX RECEIPT FOR DONATIONS OF $20 OR MORE Mail to: UOAC Vancouver Chapter Box 74570 Postal Station G Vancouver, BC V6K 4P4 |
WHERE: Camp Horizon, Bragg Creek, Alberta (southwest of Calgary)
WHO: Children between the ages 9 - 18 who have had or who will have bowel or bladder diversionary surgery or who have related special needs ( i.e. self catheterization, bowel and bladder incontinence), due to birth defects, trauma or disease (i.e. Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Cancer, Spina Bifida.) COST: Registration fee is $620.00/child plus airfare (transportation to and from camp, room and board are included) Average cost per child is $1100.00 CONTACT: UOAC office at info1@ostomycanada.ca or phone 403-680-9551 APPLICATION FORMS: Available upon request from UOAC office at info1@ostomycanada.ca DEADLINE FOR 2020 REGISTRATION: TBA 
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