By Deron Hamel

Parents of children attending Summerfest Camp say the annual camping experience enhances independence, builds self-confidence and drives personal development.

Speaking with Voices of Epilepsy in 2014, Philippa Howell recalled how she had concerns when her daughter, Georgina, went to her first Summerfest Camp in 2010.

Georgina, then eight, had never been away on her own before. Georgina also has intractable myoclonic epilepsy. But concerns Philippa had would go away when she saw the positive impact the camping experience was having on her daughter.

Philippa recalled how a couple of weeks before Georgina was to go to Summerfest Camp one year she pulled out her T-shirt from Camp Couchiching, where Summerfest Camp is held each year, and said “campfire.”

“And then she wore that T-shirt as often as she could … and she kept saying, ‘When are we going for a campfire?’ It suddenly dawned on my husband and I that she had associated the picture of the campfire on the T-shirt … as somewhere she enjoyed going,” Philippa said.

“Immediately, any worry, or fear or stress we might have had about her being anxious about being away from us evaporated. …

“Four years later, I am shocked at how young (Georgina) was when I let her go (to Summerfest) but now I think, ‘Thank goodness’ because the experience she has at the age of 12 has blossomed — she’s grown and grown because of (Summerfest).”

Parent Nicole Graham also attests to the benefits of Summerfest Camp. Like Philippa, Nicole had concerns about her daughter attending the camp. As the mother of a child with epilepsy, Nicole says she often supervises Alexa in many of her daily activities.

However, when Alexa is at Summerfest Camp, she does those activities on her own — and wants to continue doing so when she returns home.

“There’s a lot of personal development that happens at Camp Cooch,” Nicole says.

Now in its 21st year, Summerfest Camp has an average of 20 to 40 children and youths who have epilepsy attend the program; they participate in activities such as swimming, hiking, kayaking and sports. The camp is staffed with people trained in how to work with children living with epilepsy.

Summerfest Camp was founded in 1994 by Anita Allen, a neurology clinic nurse at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). The camp enables children aged six to 15, who are living with seizure disorders, to attend camp with other children. Camp Couchiching provides a setting where children can forget about their epilepsy.

Epilepsy Ontario is hosting its second annual fundraising cruise in support of Summerfest Camp in Toronto on June 17. The Summerfest: Sail Away cruise, which includes a buffet dinner, dancing, silent auction, 50-50 draw and gift-giveaways, will coast along Lake Ontario’s shoreline for three hours. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here.

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