Spinal Cord Injury Camp

Every summer, the Shriners Hospital in Chicago sponsors a sports and conditioning camp for teens with spinal cord injuries. The one-week camp provides a strong sports program that offers scuba, rock climbing, sailing, hand-cycling, sled hockey, kayaking, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair softball, led by professionals in each field, as well as Shriners staff. Also included are daily conditioning and fitness-testing sessions and classes on nutrition. The program can accommodate up to 8 teens.

The intensive schedule lasts from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Trips out of the hospital are facilitated by an adapted van that can transport up to twelve people.

The goal of the camp is to help teens with spinal cord injuries develop the habits of a healthy lifestyle and an “I can” attitude. Candidates must be outpatients of Shriners Hospitals, independent in self-care, free of pressure ulcers, and identified by an interdisciplinary team as likely to benefit from the camp experience. Each year, one camper from previous years serves as senior counselor, which provides ann additional opportunity to develop and test leadership skills.