Luke Enjoys Camp!
by Nell Gallagher, of Orangeville, Ontario, member of Epilepsy Brampton and Area
[The second Summer Camp for children with epilepsy welcomed 26 young Ontario campers to Camp Couchiching near Orillia in the summer of 1996. Luke Gallagher was one of the fortunate children to attend this year's camp. His mother wanted to share her story with you.]
"We drove our very angry, upset 13 year old son, Luke to Camp Couchiching for the Epilepsy Camp in August earlier this year. Luke loves to be at home spending his summer days drawing and playing tennis. He felt that we were getting rid of him by making him go to camp. We know that this was a new situation for him.
"We were greeted by a counsellor who knew Luke from elementary school. He spent an hour with us touring the camp while Luke moped along behind, baseball cap pulled down concealing most of his face and refusing to speak. It turned out that one of the camp nurses, Anita was from the Department of Neurology, the Hospital for Sick Children and she has known Luke since he was a year old. Having two people at the camp who knew Luke certainly put our minds at ease, so much so, that after leaving camp we stopped at Casino Rama feeling rather carefree.
"One week later we arrived back at Camp Couchiching to find Luke not at all eager to leave. He had made friends, one in particular - a big step for Luke. They had hung around together all week at camp. Luke, who usually shares very little with us talked about his time at camp all the way home -- about the big bonfires, the "Cooch" Games, tennis, archery and about the fifteen bottles of Sport Ade he purchased with his tuck money.
"As parents of a child with special needs, we are usually a little reluctant to try new things because we know from experience that so many of our attempts have ended in disaster. When those applications for Camp Couchiching come out next year -- challenge yourself and your child, like we did, and start saving those "toonies" for a game or two of blackjack at Casino Rama."
The camp is supervised by the Division of Neurology at the Hospital for Sick Children and presented in Cupertino with Camp Couchiching. The camp is supported by the Epilepsy Research Fund of Canada, local Kinsmen Clubs and Epilepsy Ontario.
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