SAN ANTONIO – Kids battling some very serious health difficulties got the chance to soar free and have fun, courtesy of University Health!
Two dozen children born with heart defects spent Saturday trying out the kinds of camp adventures many of them don’t often get to experience, from speeding down a zip line to riding horses, practicing archery, and playing games at University Health’s Kids Heart Camp.
The overnight camp, now in its third year, is being held at Morgan’s Camp in San Antonio. The camp began Friday afternoon and will end midday Sunday. Organizers said 24 kids took part.
University Health said the camp is designed for children ages 9 to 17 with congenital heart problems, giving them a chance to take part in traditional camp activities while surrounded by a support system of heart specialists and trained counselors who can recognize and respond to medical concerns.
Dr. David Bush, a University Health pediatric cardiologist, said parents feel confident in their kids’ safety because heart doctors and medical teams are at the camp, ready to help if they’re needed.
Dr. Ginnie Abarbanell, one of the founding cardiologists of the University Health Kids Heart Camp, said the experience teaches children independence and allows them to bond with other kids who have similar health conditions. “Sometimes our congenital heart children feel different. At this camp, they’ll meet other kids who’ve had similar experiences.
It’s incredibly reassuring for them to know they’re not alone,” Abarbanell said. Organizers said there were no medical emergencies during the camp.
University Health invited media to attend Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to noon at Morgan’s Camp, 23400 Cibolo Vista, San Antonio, 78261, to interview and photograph or videotape campers and speak with medical providers about the camp’s impact.