medi for help supports Camp Watchme: “We experience a sense of communigy and belonging!”
Many children with primary lymphedema can’t wait for this special week: the annual Camp Watchme (USA). The mixture of medical components and leisure activities make up the character of the camp and ensure a positive sense of community and belonging among the young patients. The non-profit aid organisation medi for help has a long partnership with Camp Watchme and has been providing support for four years with medical compression care from medi, financially and experts. A medi USA team was on site again this summer.
Once a year, Camp Watchme offers young lymphoedema patients aged 5 to 17 and their families an all-round programme of medical advice, custom flat-knit garments and opportunities for mutual exchange with experts and other affected people – all in an exuberant leisure atmosphere with numerous child-friendly activities, such as water slides, high ropes course, zip lines or river tubing.
Sustainable supply of medi flat knit products and advice
medi for help was once again on site with a team from medi USA and measured 16 lymphoedema patients and provided them with flat-knit compression products from medi. In addition, medi’s experts engaged in an intensive exchange with the affected children, families and therapists in order to find the right compression garment for them and to enable sustainable therapy. Dayana Lardo, Compression specialist medi USA: “We explain that the search for the best possible combinations of material, features and colours is an ongoing process that can change over time. It is important to learn what the affected part of the body responds to best – this is how we find optimal solutions for each patient!”
Experience normality at Camp Watchme
Bryan Groleau, Director of Clinical Education medi USA, was at Camp Watchme for the third time – in addition to individual care, he was also able to exchange ideas intensively with patients and families. “The kids have been looking forward to the annual camp for a long time, and many visit it repeatedly. The feeling of community and belonging is the focus for most. They can feel free together without having to explain the disease or compression. The children and families experience Camp Watchme as a place where they can experience normality.”
Camp Watchme as a project close to the heart of the Brylan ́s Feat Foundation
The Brylan’s Feat Foundation’s mission is to provide financial support to children with primary lymphedema and their families to provide them with treatment. The foundation helps families worldwide who either have no or difficult access to the health care system or cannot afford the therapy financially. Camp Watchme is a project close to the heart of the Brylan’s Feat Foundation. The intention of the Foundation and the camp fit well with the mission of medi for help, which is why there has already been a close partnership for many years.
