Ostomy Youth Camp

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by Sandra Morris, Youth Camp Coordinator, Vancouver Chapter
 

Once again, all the campers sponsored by the Vancouver Chapter this past
summer thoroughly enjoyed their time at camp! All of them want to return to
camp next summer. And they’ve all been assured that a spot has been saved for
them for 2026.

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Where is the Ostomy Youth Camp?
The Ostomy Youth Camp is operated by Easter Seals Camp Horizon, which is
located in Bragg Creek, Alberta, a short distance southwest of Calgary. Ostomy
Canada contracts with this organization to provide a 6-day camp experience. It’s
the only camp in Canada specifically for kids with ostomies, so the campers come
from across the country.

 

Campers:
The Vancouver Chapter sponsored 5 campers this past summer. We sponsored
considerably fewer campers this year than in previous years. (We have sponsored
up to 10 or 11 children in the past). The camp is for children from age 9 to 18,
and a few age 19 who have not completed high school. (Some kids spend months
at a time in the hospital, and therefore may take an extra year to get their high
school diploma). There are usually fewer younger children, age 9 through 11;
most of our campers are teenagers.
We connect with potential new campers through the Ostomy Nurses at BC
Children’s Hospital. They communicate with parents, telling them about the
camp, and get permission for me to contact them. This Fall, I’ll also be reaching
out to the Social Worker at BC Children’s Hospital, in an effort to increase the
number of potential new campers for next summer.

Sponsorship by the Vancouver Chapter:

The Vancouver Chapter fully sponsors all kids from BC. We are able to do this
because of the generous donations we receive from our membership, their
friends and families, community groups, and other donors.  THANK YOU! Without

your support, we would not be able to provide many children with this life-
enhancing experience.
Sponsorship includes the Camp Registration Fees ($1,250 per camper) and travel
costs to and from camp, which for most kids is the cost of a return flight to
Calgary from either Vancouver or elsewhere in BC. And, for those families who
choose to drive their kids to and/or from camp, we reimburse their gas costs up
to the amount it would have cost for the camper to fly.
Total costs for the past summer were just under $8,550, including $6,250 for 5
Registration Fees, and just under $2,300 for 4 air fares. One of our campers had
to cancel just days before camp. We received a reimbursement from Ostomy
Canada for her Registration Fees (minus a $50 administration cost). So total costs
will decrease to just under $7,350, or about $1,840 per camper.

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Feedback from our Campers:
Going to camp is a life-changing experience for the kids – building confidence by
demonstrating that they’re able to do many things they thought were impossible. 
And, most importantly, enabling them to meet other kids with similar health
issues, learning from each other about how they cope, and just having fun in an
environment where they feel safe, both physically and emotionally.

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Finding Belonging: The Magic of Ostomy Canada Youth Camp

Watch a video from Camp Produced by Ostomy Canada here: