CHAMPS Summer Camp Archives - Mending Little Hearts

Heart Hero Feature: Keyanna

mendinglittlehearts_306 — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:06:59 +0000

Meet Keyanna: heart hero, writer, teacher, CHAMPS camper

Hi, my name is Keyanna and I have been a camper at CHAMPS heart camp for several years. I was born with an interrupted aortic arch type A, a VSD, an ASD and a prolapsed, bicuspid valve. After discovering my heart problems when I was 2 days old, I was whisked away to Edmonton Stollery Hospital for open heart surgery. A month later I had a second open heart surgery. I later stayed in Saskatoon NICU before coming home 2 months after I was born. I’ve had three balloonings of my aortic arch to stretch the scar tissue throughout my life as well as some other health complications.

Although I don’t remember my first few surgeries as a baby, I do remember my more recent surgeries and know what it’s like to feel tired of being sick. I was going through one of those seasons when I first attended CHAMPS Heart Camp. I have always been surrounded by a loving community that has supported and prayed for me but it was wonderful to meet so many kids who had similar experiences. The first time I went to CHAMPS was while waiting for a surgery on a collapsed arotinoid (caused by having a paralyzed vocal fold) and I was so encouraged to be able to run and play with kids without feeling like I was the slow one that always got more tired. I remember playing ‘Capture the Flag’ and thinking, “This is actually really fun!”

“I was so encouraged to be able to run and play with kids without feeling like I was the slow one that always got more tired”

Everyone at camp has always been so loving. They’ve always been there for a hug and are ever-encouraging. Dana (camp coordinator) and all my friends are so supportive and sweet and I’m so thankful for them. It’s amazing how much thought has been put into each day of CHAMPS camp, from various fun exercises, to psychology, to preparing for adult cardiology, to simply hanging out with the cardiologists and residents. My first year at CHAMPS camp also saw a lot of time in the hospital with these doctors, and to simply play with them like a normal kid meant the world to me.

“My childhood hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth it because it’s given me a special perspective on life and a heart for those who have struggled with heath problems”

As I walk into adulthood I am very thankful for all CHAMPS has done for me. It’s connected me with a wonderful community of friends who support and encourage me. This fall I plan to attend college for a business certificate and would like to continue teaching violin in my hometown. I know my childhood hasn’t always been easy but it’s been worth it because it’s given me a special perspective on life and a heart (pardon the pun) for those who have struggled with health problems. I am currently writing a book about a boy who has had health challenges and chooses to pursue his dreams no matter how difficult it may be. I hope to publish this book one day and be an encouragement to others like so many friends and family have been an encouragement to me.

The post Heart Hero Feature: Keyanna appeared first on Mending Little Hearts.

A busy summer for CHAMPS Camp!

mendinglittlehearts_306 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 01:58:22 +0000

CHAMPS WINS WCCHN AWARD!

Our team has been hard at work over the past 6 months working on our new project – the CHAMPS Camp Model!

CHAMPS was awarded “Judge’s Choice” at the Western Canadian Children’s Heart Network Boost-Up Pitch Competition in February. The competition was designed to fund various projects supporting heart children across Western Canada.

Fund will be used to create the CHAMPS Camp Model – a project to help us expand CHAMPS to more sites across Saskatchewan & Western Canada!

We are so incredibly excited and honoured to receive this award, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Congratulations to the other award winners and teams who presented at the competition!! The future is bright for heart kids in Western Canada.

Stay tuned for more updates on this project!

CHAMPS CAMP IS BACK

Finally! CHAMPS Summer Camp will be in person this July after 2 years of virtual events. We are so excited to see our campers!

CHAMPS provides an opportunity to meet kids with similar conditions and form a peer group, while learning about physical activity, mental wellness and heart health in a fun way!

Camp will be July 11-15, 2022 at the University of Saskatchewan Physical Activity Complex. Click HERE to join the waitlist for our 7-17 year old camp, or to register for our Junior camp for campers 4-6 years.

Safety is our top priority. With advice from our Pediatric Cardiology team, we will have recommendations and guidelines in place to ensure families are safe at camp.

Thank you to our sponsors and donors who help make camp possible. Interested in helping a heart child attend camp at NO COST?

Send us a message if you’re interested in directing your donation to:

❤️ Send a heart hero to camp

❤️ Sponsor a camp lunch

❤️ Sponsor a camp activity or education session

Thank you for your support!

The post A busy summer for CHAMPS Camp! appeared first on Mending Little Hearts.

The Origin of CHAMPS

Design — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 17:05:55 +0000

The Origins of CHAMPS – Supporting Children With CHD

Children’s Healthy-Heart Activity Monitoring Program in Saskatchewan (or CHAMPS) began as a vision from heart mom Lynne Telfer RN, who saw a need for more support for children with congenital or acquired heart disease (CHD).

Resources were limited or non-existent, so she turned to researchers at the College of Kinesiology and College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan to help turn her ideas into reality. It was her hard work and dedication along with that of Juanita Praksas, Anna Maton, the research professors at the College of Kinesiology, the Pediatric Cardiology Nurse Clinicians, and the Pediatric Cardiologists who started the camp. CHAMPS Camp was initially funded by the research grants the first couple of years.

At the first summer camp one of the heart children said to me that ‘I have never met another heart kid, I thought I was the only one.’ “That took my breath away and made me tear up. It showed the impact of just meeting another heart child had and that they didn’t have to feel they were the only ones anymore.

– Lynne Telfer, Registered Nurse & Patient Advocate
Mending Little Hearts Team

In 2015, the first CHAMPS summer day camp was held at the University of Saskatchewan. Since then, positive feedback and continued support from heart families have contributed to the success and growth of CHAMPS camp. There are two CHAMPS programs each year; our week-long summer day camp, usually the last week in July in Saskatoon, and our fall/winter program, which runs every 2-3 weeks on Saturdays in both Saskatoon and Regina.

It is the generosity of wonderful sponsors and the Mending Little Hearts Fund that make the camps run. Please contact us if you’d like to be involved.

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