FA M I LY C A M P. Parent chats Deer watching. Educational sessions. Fishing Games carnival. Campfires S mores Sing-a-longs

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1 FA M I LY C A M P Parent chats Deer watching Educational sessions Price: $00.00 Order #: Type: Type Fishing Games carnival Campfires S mores Sing-a-longs Ropes course Zip line Arts & crafts

2 s p i n a b i f i d a a s s o c i a t i o n o f n o r t h t e x a s f a l l f a m i l y c a m p Family Camp is located at Camp John Marc one weekend each fall, usually just before Thanksgiving. Families of young children with Spina Bifida attend this event each year. The entire family comes and enjoys activities, parent chats, medical and educational sessions, games and more. Families arrive Friday night and enjoy dinner together, followed by a campfire, s mores, sing-a-longs and camp stories. Saturday is filled with dining hall meals, games, sports, arts & crafts, and more. Moms and Dads each have their separate time to talk to each other, bond, share ideas, ask questions about medical and education issues and just living with a child with Spina Bifida. Usually a doctor, nurse or therapist from Scottish Rite attends to lead an education session. Children have playtime with volunteers. It is invaluable time spent for each one of these groups. Siblings, Spina Bifida children and parents of these children each have their own challenges that they have to deal with. This is a unique opportunity to make new friends and learn from each other. After dinner, a carnival is held with face painting, dancing, karaoke, cotton candy and fun! Each family usually has their own cabin. Volunteers share cabins and a nurse is on site in the infirmary. Camp ends after breakfast on Sunday and families head their separate ways. Most are now fast friends and will stay in contact with each other, Although families pay a fee to attend this camp, it is just a small portion of the actual cost. For many of the families, it is one of the few times they get some time away to relax. Medical expenses and severity of the disability are great limitations to many families. We are proud to offer this program to families. It educates, strengthens and builds relationships in the future leaders and members of our community. We appreciate your support!

3 HISPANIC FAMILY CAMP Each spring, family camp is held for our Spanish speaking families at Camp john Marc. Structured similarly to our Family Camp, these families travel down together and spend the weekend engaging with each other, speakers and volunteers. Usually families totally almost 100 people, attend the camp. In addition, a nurse and volunteers are there as well. Educational sessions are held in Spanish. Doctors, nurses and therapists, primarily from Scottish Rite, come to camp and talk to them about not only Spina Bifida related issues, but about issues specific to the Hispanic community. There are also sessions on educational issues within the schools. The sessions are all translated so that moms and dads both leave with an understanding of how to best address the needs of their child and what options are available to them. This group is a breakthrough in the Spina Bifida community nationwide and is used as a model on how to teach and grow the Hispanic Spina Bifida Community. Maria Avitia, our Hispanic Group Chair, has spent many hours and years devoted to growing this group, getting them to participate in SBANT activities (like Camp TLC) and outside activities such as wheelchair basketball. It is important for them to become independent and a vital part of society and not stay at home. The Hispanic culture is much different than the Anglo culture in many ways. Breaking these barriers down is a challenge that has been met and overcome by having such programs as Hispanic Family Camp. It has allowed us to teach this group the importance of taking folic acid and prenatal vitamins to help prevent birth defects such as Spina Bifida. Traditionally they do not take vitamins and much of the food they eat is not fortified with extra vitamins and folic acid. This camp was instrumental in the growth of the group. We now have several moms that are helping to support our mission and strengthen this community. The older children, many now in their young adulthood, are going to college, experiencing life and are giving back to others. They attend our adult retreats, mentor younger children with Spina Bifida and many are role models in their accomplishments. The families realize the importance of this camp and work hard to raise money to help offset their expenses which are greater than those of Family Camp. They hold garage sales, sell raffle tickets at their Hispanic Group Talent Show and ask companies who they work with to sponsor them. Education is the key that breaks down barriers. They understand this and are working to change the lives of their children and those to come. One weekend spent by a family at Camp John Marc, whether they are speaking Spanish or not, can change their lives forever. They appreciate your support!

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5 ADULT RETREAT The Adult Retreat is held one weekend each spring at Camp Summit in Argyle, TX. The three day camp is offered for adults with Spina Bifida and offers a variety of opportunities for education, socializing, outdoor activities and networking.while some adults with Spina Bifida are active in the community, have jobs, have begun families, others are just beginning these experiences or have never had to be responsible on their own. This weekend is a great time for them to learn from each other and hear from experts outside the Spina Bifida Community. Saturday educational sessions have included doctors, nurses or therapists on managing their issues. This is a great concern for the adult community. Many attend clinic for their health issues at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Here, doctors of all areas communicate with each other to manage the health of an individual with Spina Bifida. No other birth defect is as complex and varying in its issues for orthopedic, bowel and bladder, neurosurgical and neurological. When a patient turns 18, they are discharged from Scottish Rite as an adult. There are no clinics for adults with Spina Bifida. They now have to seek new medical care from doctors that might or might not be an expert in Spina Bifida issues and they must find one for each of their needs. Many adults do not manage their health well after reaching adulthood due to these difficulties. This is usually a major topic of the Adult Retreat, both with speakers and between the adults. Other topics for speakers center around jobs how to find one, how to write a resume, how to have an accessible workplace, how to market yourself and dress professionally, how to maintain personal hygiene, etc. Other topics have included Healthy Relationships looking at ways to build life-long healthy relationships, Using Public Transportation, Understanding Sexual Abuse, Managing Insurance and Medicaid and much more. This group has grown stronger each year, using Facebook and other internet chat groups to connect to each other. Adults that are independent need to communicate to those that might not be as strong or as able as they are. They learn to give back to their community and act as role models for others. People of all ages need to know that as an adult with Spina Bifida, you can have a happy, active adult life, get married, have children, have a job and be a leader in the community. Employers need to see this. Doctors need to see this. Expectant parents need to see this. This year, we had over 40 adults with Spina Bifida attend the retreat. This is amazing! The adults, along with Retreat Chair Diana Morrison, a few volunteers and nurse, shared a meaningful weekend that will continue to help break down barriers for our community.

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7 AND THE PARTNERING TO SUPPORT SPINA BIFIDA CAMP PROGRAMS CAMP TLC FAMILY CAMP HISPANIC FAMILY CAMP ADULT RETREAT TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE LIVES! For More Information Contact Us at spinabifidant.org or