Today is a day of celebration. We celebrate our country. We celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as a result of our forefathers declaration of independence. We celebrate the special memories we get to create with family and friends as we gather around picnic tables, bonfires and watch Technicolor fireworks illuminate the sky in honor of this declaration. Sure, we celebrate a day off work and throw in some good sales too, why not? In the spirit of celebration and honoring amazing things, I wanted to share my adoration for Camp Korey. What is Camp Korey? I am so glad you asked! Camp Korey is an amazing haven that provides recreational programs for children and young adults with serious medical conditions who are unable to attend traditional enrichment programs due to their high medical needs. Camp Korey is a place that provides kids the opportunity to build self-esteem, meet friends that can relate to similar challenges and empower them to try new things rather than feeling isolated or limited as they might elsewhere. It is the place where pure joy is palpable.
I had the privilege of volunteering at Camp Korey as medical staff this past week. On a larger scale, the camp is part of the Serious Fun Children’s Network and in partnership with the American Academy of Dermatology hosts Camp Reflection, which is a camp specifically geared towards children with skin disorders and is held on the Camp Korey campus. As a dermatologist, I had the opportunity to oversee the medical care of children with both relatively common skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis to rare entities that most of us only read about during our training. The diversity of skin disorders at camp may have been vast, but the love of fun, camaraderie, mutual respect and unwavering support was homogenous. The kids had a blast, and no one was left behind or left out. From the beginning of camp where a young woman had such severe social anxiety that she wouldn’t utter a word to me, to the end of camp where she bestowed upon me a smile that could light up the darkest of skies, it was magical. Although I was there to serve in a professional capacity as a physician, I was gifted a profound personal re-awakening. Today is a day of celebration of our nation’s independence, but I would suggest that every day should be a celebration. The kids at Camp Korey reminded me that we can and should celebrate our abilities, but we should also celebrate our limitations to help catapult us beyond them to achieve true bliss. Happy 4th everyone!
SHADED BLISS 