Camp Cruz 2009!

June 15, 2009

On June 12th, 2009 Camp Cruz came to an end as 86 campers got off the buses and ran into their parents' arms. Camp Cruz is an amazing week where children with Juvenile Arthritis and other autoimmune diseases come to have fun with kids just like them. Ranging from age 7-17, campers gathered at Camp Wamatochick in Prescott, Arizona to breathe in the fresh air and participate in camp activities such as horseback riding, team challenges, and of course, campfires.

On the last night at camp, campers gather around the traditional “Council Fire” to share memories of that week. Campers and counselors alike stood up and spoke about how much Camp Cruz means to them. One camper said, “This year I learned that there are lots of other kids who suffer through the same symptoms every day that I do and that having arthritis does not mean you have to be disabled.” These campers come to Camp Cruz to be with their friends, meet new people, and to be with other kids that know what they are going through.

Staff from the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Rheumatology Department came up to camp to help with the campers in the nurse’s cabin. We would like to thank Dr. Kaleo Ede, Dr. Michael Shishov and Debbie Carlin, RN for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come up to camp and help out!

We also want to thank the Camp Wamatochick staff. The counselors and program specialists at Camp Wamatochick were with the campers 24 hours a day. Camp Cruz could not have existed without their help. Thank you so much for all your time and patience!