J. Davis Studio

I apologize ahead of time for my shameless bragging, but I’m pretty psyched. This weekend, Hannah drove 6 hours by herself for her 3rd year as volunteer camp counselor at the Muscular Dystrophy Camp for children in Happy, TX. Michaela’s first year at the camp was in 2005. Just days before Hannah was to volunteer in 2007, she learned that her being a week short of turning16 disqualified her for that year. This year, at the age of 18, Hannah was chosen to be a group leader.

I can’t tell you how proud I am to have children who have such compassion and empathy. I know I’ve made many many mistakes in my child rearing days, but these character traits in our daughters help me tune out all the times I’ve screwed up. I can feel my knotted shoulders relaxing just a tiny bit.

Robin

The Person Who Has Influenced Me The Most

(written by Michaela for her college application in 2007)

As I stepped onto the crowded Greyhound bus, all eyes seemed to be on me. “What have I gotten myself into?” I wondered. As I quickly shoved my backpack into the overhead rack, a blue-eyed, curly haired girl came up to me with out-stretched arms. “Hi! I’m Lillie, you can sit by me.” Although I had read her paperwork and talked to her on the phone, she was not what I had imagined. It turns out that Muscular Dystrophy affects each person differently, and Lillie, with help from her walker, was still able to walk.

After the two-hour bus ride to Happy, TX, we arrived at the cabins. I was amazed to see how many people attended camp. Wheelchairs, walkers, and braces awaited their owners. I helped Lillie off the bus, and for the first time, I saw how difficult walking was for her. Campers had their own counselors, which would be with them at all times. Some needed help moving to and from the bunk beds, while others only needed help brushing their hair. I realized how these were everyday tasks that I took for granted. Although most suffered only physical disabilities, some were mentally challenged as well. I’ll even admit, it was very uncomfortable at first: A twenty year old that let food fly from her mouth at the dinner table and needed “assistance” in the restroom, or the autistic boy that would scream if you came within two feet of his wheelchair. At first, I was horrified. However, within the first day, I had fallen in love with each and every camper.

The first time Lillie fell, it killed me. Convincing me that she could shower alone, I turned to get her shampoo. Apparently, she had lifted her leg to rinse off some soap, and “SMAK!” her tiny body slipped onto the wet, tile floor. It is inevitable for the campers to fall, but from then on I carried her most of the time.

At camp, we did activities just like any other summer camp: swimming, horseback riding, arts and crafts, and fishing. We had dances and even a talent show. However, I was not there for my entertainment. I was there to help these kids have the best week of their life. There are so many simple things we overlook: walking, clapping our hands, and feeding ourselves. For some, even smiling is a challenge. Their muscles prohibit them from doing so much, but to see their optimism and enthusiasm made me realize how grateful I should be.

As the week progressed, I learned everyone’s name and cherished them all. I felt like I could do this forever and be happy! On the last day, we had a “Rookie Graduation”. Outside on the grass was a large tarp with the past week’s leftovers: sandwiches, cereal, spaghetti… you name it. The smell was utterly repulsive. One at a time, each rookie stepped into a trashcan of ice water, then crawled through the disgusting mess, as campers smothered us with ketchup, shaving cream, syrup, and flour. The kids had a blast! I took three showers to get the putrid smell out of my hair. It was honestly the most nauseating, yet rewarding thing I had ever done.

Because Muscular Dystrophy is a degenerative disease, the campers get worse each year. It is painful to see them go from walking with braces to requiring a wheelchair. Each summer, there is the fear of a camper not returning. The most meaningful words every spoken to me were from a boy at camp. He said, “My friend had a brother that had what I have, and he lived to be twenty-five. If he can live to be that old, then so can I.”

I am so grateful for the opportunity MDA has provided me, and I will continue attending camp as long as I can. It was here that I have made the best friends, and learned to live each day to its fullest, because I realize that life truly is precious.