By America Guerrero

America Guerrero is an intern at the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas and a previous guest author. Read America’s family story here.

Becoming a Camp Counselor

This summer, while interning at the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas, I got the opportunity to go to Camp Brainstorm as a counselor. Since I had never been to a camp, I was enormously excited. I wanted to do outdoor activities, like fishing and swimming, and make s’mores while sharing stories around a campfire. Although I was going to be a counselor, I wanted to participate in every activity as if I was a camper!

However, I was also afraid. I have never seen my mother, who has epilepsy, or anyone else, have a seizure. Now, I needed to take care of nine young girls, all of whom were diagnosed with epilepsy or a sibling of someone with epilepsy. I felt better knowing that I was one of four counselors in my cabin. Two of my co-counselors had even been to Camp Brainstorm before. Still, my greatest fear was that I would panic and not know what to do if I saw one of my campers seizing.

Overcoming My Fear

Before the campers arrived, the other counselors and I read the camper’s files. We has to become familiar with each camper, with their diagnosis and who they were. I learned a lot about types of seizures and triggers, but also about what made each camper unique.

While reading their files, I learned about their fears. Later, I had the pleasure of watching them overcome those fears. Now they were rock climbing, paddleboarding, fishing, and even sailing!

Luckily, all of my campers were able to enjoy their week at camp without suffering a seizure. For a week, I bonded with nine young girls who embraced themselves and each other. They didn’t let their diagnosis define them. During the week I spent with them, they were more confident and playful than other kids their age.

Two of my campers did not have epilepsy, but were the siblings of other campers who did. The amount of information these kids knew about their sibling’s diagnosis was very inspiring. The most impressive part was that these two campers were only eight years old, caring so deeply about their thirteen-year-old siblings.

A Brave Camper

One camper who impressed me all week was Malayna. She told me how afraid she was of kayaking, animals, bugs, and loud noises, all of which were things you could find at Camp. Still, she gave every activity a try.

The snakes in the nature hut terrified her, but once she saw the dwarf bunnies, she immediately changed her mind. Kayaking also scared her, but after seeing the two-person kayak, she agreed to try it. She repeatedly made fun of me for crashing into bushes, but ended up loving kayaking nonetheless. Despite claiming to be shy, Malayna happily participated in the talent show with the entire cabin by her side. Throughout the week, Malayna overcame everything that scared her.

Malayna was one of the bravest girls I met at camp. Her cerebal palsy kept her from having total control of her left arm and leg. She called them her super arm and her super leg. She practiced coloring with her super arm, and catching a football in the pool, determined not to let her diagnosis define her.

Although she hated the long walks, she did everything the other campers did, saying it would make her super leg stronger.

Malayna never complained about not being able to do something. Instead, she was determined to do everything on her own and only asked for help when she really needed it.

Changing Campers and Counselors

At Camp Brainstorm, Malayna taught me to never let anything stop me from moving forward. She continued to fight every day to gain control of her left leg and arm. Nevertheless, she still did everything any other kid her age could do and strived to do more. She taught me to not focus on what you cannot do, but instead focus on what you can do and make it better.

Thanks to Camp Brainstorm, campers like Malayna had a place where they could enjoy themselves with others who knew exactly what they were going through. I am now more aware of the effects of epilepsy on children and their families, and I want to continue to be a part of the journey to END Epilepsy. I look forward to going back to Camp Brainstorm next year to see how my campers have grown and to meet more brave children.

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