Unique camp taking shape in Ingleside
Major medical advances have been made in the treatment of spina bifida in the last half-century, but some unanticipated problems come with those gains.
A greater number of people born with the disorder are moving into middle age. Having been cared for by parents most of their lives, these folks will need to learn the skills to allow them to someday live independently.
A new camp under construction in Ingleside is being created to meet those needs.
Camp Independence is being built on the grounds at YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside. Officials say construction is on schedule for the Nov. 1 opening.
"We are all extremely excited," said YMCA Camp Duncan Executive Director Kim Kiser. "This is really a one-of-a-kind camp."
The year-round camp will serve children and young adults with neurological conditions, such as spina bifida, spinal cord injuries and cerebral palsy among others. The camp will serve children as young as 7 years old to others in their 20s or 30s.
"The idea here is to teach them basic life skills," Kiser said. "That could mean doing the laundry, writing checks, cooking meals and more. Their parents, in most cases, have been doing this for them. But there will come a time when they need to do these things on their own."
Using a boot camp approach, the 10-day sessions are intensive but fun too, Kiser said. The campers will be assigned a counselor who shadows them 24 hours a day. The counselor will be a mentor and teacher and is trained to encourage the camper to perform tasks by themselves.
The main building on the $1.5 million campus has room for 16 counselors and 16 campers. There is a full "teaching kitchen," laundry facilities and eight customized bathrooms. Money for construction has come from foundation grants and private donations, Kiser said.
Spina bifida is a birth defect where the spinal cord is at the skin's surface instead of being under the skin and within the bone. There are around 1,500 people with the condition in the Chicago area, including 500 who live in Lake County.
Forty years ago, people born with spina bifida had a 5 percent chance of survival. Today, medical advances have raised the survival rate to nearly 95 percent.
Sessions are filling up fast and Kiser expects campers to come from not only Lake County, but from all across the Chicago area.
Kiser said this is just the beginning for the camp. She hopes to raise funds for expansion in the coming years. Long-term plans include the construction of two more cabins and a therapy pool. They hope to have room for as many as 50 campers and 50 counselors.
Camp Duncan runs several specialized events each year. They offer a Burn Survivor Camp, Obesity Camp and a Tourette Syndrome camp, among others. For more information call (847) 546-8086.