Cavett Kids Foundation

Camp Wildfire is for children ages 8-18 facing the challenges of Spina Bifida. It will take place at Central Christian Camp in Guthrie, OK on April 9-10, 2011. Over 30 campers and 40 volunteers attend the Camp Wildfire is free of charge, with a full-time nursing staff on hand to administer medication and assist with all other medical needs. 

Activities
Campers participate in a wide variety of activities ranging from paddleboats, canoeing, fishing, basketball, crafts and an end of camp dance. More importantly, campers are taught about the Cavett Kids Foundation's "3 C's." Character, Coping Skills & Connection. They learn character lessons during Danny Cavett's "Challenges." They learn coping skills through group activities and by sharing their own personal stories.  And finally, they connect with one another and form friendships that will last a lifetime.

What is Spina Bifida?
Spina bifida is the most frequently occurring permanently disabling birth defect and the most common Neural Tube Defect. It affects approximately one out of every 1,000 newborns in the United States.

Spina bifida results from the failure of the spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy. Surgery to close a newborn's back is generally performed within 24 hours after birth to minimize the risk of infection and to preserve existing function in the spinal cord. Because of the paralysis resulting from the damage to the spinal cord, children born with spina bifida may need surgeries and other extensive medical care. The condition can also cause bowel and bladder complications. Many children have to learn mobility skills, use braces, crutches or even a wheelchair.

Physical disabilities, like spina bifida, can also have profound effects on a child's emotional and social development. This is why it is extremely important to have events like Camp Wildfire.  The campers look forward to Camp Wildfire every year because it is a place for them to feel "normal."

 

Tentative Schedule