Summer Camp Dream Realized for Kids Living with Kidney Failure

This month, thousands of kids across the country are heading home from the freedom and bliss of summer camp. Many of these kids have medical conditions that may have previously prevented them from attending.

For the past seven years, Fresenius Medical Care North America’s Renal Therapies Group (RTG) has supported summer camps around the country by donating dialysis machines and renal care supplies to make camp a reality for kids who depend on life-sustaining dialysis to treat kidney failure.

In a story for local C&G newspapers, one 13-year-old camper who began attending summer camp at the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s YMCA Camp Copneconic in Fenton, Mich. two years ago said she has returned this year to attend tea parties, learn how to start a camp fire, fly along the zip line, and search the grounds for frogs to catch.

“[Camp is] helping kids get away from their conditions,” the camper said.

Camp Reynal is another one of several camps to have received the dialysis equipment and supplies that help camps provide life-sustaining dialysis care to kids living with kidney failure. The camp offers water sports, art classes, music and dance, hiking, ropes courses, and all of the other activities that shape a typical summer camp experience.

One fifth-year counselor at Camp Reynal began attending the camp as a camper when she was 10 years old.

"You can interact with other kids that are just like you,” the camper told NBC Channel 5 News in Fort Worth, Texas. "This feels like home because you feel like you're not alone. You feel like you belong somewhere and you're part of something—something big.”

Renal Therapies Group has donated machines to Camp John Marc in Texas, Frost Valley YMCA Camp in New York, Painted Turtle Dialysis Camp in California, Camp Cavett and Camp Courage in Oklahoma, and DCI Camp Okawehna in Tennessee. Mark Costanzo, President of Renal Therapies Group said these positive experiences for young campers were prime examples of the company mission and values in action.

“As a company, Fresenius Medical Care is deeply committed to putting patients at the center of what we do,” said Mark Costanzo, President of Renal Therapies Group. “This type of program perfectly matches our core business with the passion of helping patients and children. We are honored to be able to support the camps through these donations.”