Shanoa does not always fit in at school. There are no other children with Sickle Cell Anemia at her school and her classmates do not always understand when she cannot go outside for recess. When Shanoa first attended Camp Joy, both she and her parents were hesitant. Now, five years later Shanoa looks forward to attending camp every summer! Shanoa expressed her love of camp in saying, “Camp Joy is a great environment to have kids with medical conditions. Kids feel like they fit in here. It’s a place to have fun and forget about your condition.” Because of Camp Joy, Shanoa is friends with other children with Sickle Cell Anemia, an opportunity she never had before attending Camp Joy. It provided Shanoa a chance to belong, creating a community where children with similar medical conditions where they are provided with endless opportunities.
Shanoa, NJoyItAll Camper, Camp NJoyItAll
