ChIPS camp

Last weekend was the ChIPS (Chronic Illness Peer Support) camp. I was initially worried about going as the doctor for a bunch a young adults (12-25) with a bewildering variety of chronic illnesses. As it turns out I was worried about the wrong things completely!

The weekend was a great event for all the participants. It was really touching to hear them reflect on what it meant to them to get away and have a weekend doing normal stuff. This is probably the only time some of them get to do camp activities, for others it is the only time they get away from their parents. I loved what they had to say about it:

"It's great to go away and not have people fussing over you all the time, asking
if you're OK and having to pretend that everything is super-duper. You can just
be normal."

"ChIPS is about more than just chronic illness. It's about being a teenager and getting on with life." (The ChIPS mission statement as quoted from memory by a member.)

"ChIPS isn't just a program, ChIPS is us!"

"It got to the stage I didn't need to ask for help - when something came up, they were just there for me. I loved that."

"Before I came on ChIPS I knew I had a lot of things wrong with me. ChIPS has opened doors for me, but it has also closed doors - bad doors! Without ChIPS I wouldn't be the person I am today."

Over and over people said how the program, the leadership training, the friends had influenced them to reach out, to try something new, to stretch themselves. One of the camp activities was to make a 2 minute advertisement for ChIPS, and in the preceeding discussion I was amazed and inspired by the genuine enthusiasm they all had for the program. They were determined to convince everyone to join! If they had their own way, the advertisement would have gone for 10 minutes in praise of all the wonderful things ChIPS does for them all. The script was eventually edited to less than half its length to meet the stipulated time.

I was amazed how supportive they all were of each other. Even those with the most significant disabilities were encouraged by their peers to do everything, try everything, get involved in everything. I was impressed with how sensitive they all were to each other's abilities, as well as disabilities. I think I was inclined to underestimate them at first, but they never underestimated each other.

I can't remember the last time I had so much good, clean fun! Playing musical chairs, duck and goose, musical statues, group karaoke, dancing, swimming, rafting, building towers - it was like a trip back to the best parts of my own teenage years. The crowning event was to be in the winning team: Funky Fish forever! It doesn't get any better than that.

The worst thing was being too tired to keep going, too old to keep up and too sore the next morning! Today I could hardly walk down the stairs! I am sadly conscious of being past my physical peak - at the ripe old age of 30 years. But I am reminded of my good health in a way I was never aware of before. If those kids can get on with it with all their disadvantages, how much more should I get off my tail and do something with the life, the health, the energy God has given me? I was so glad that this weekend I could give a little back.