About 24 children ages 6-12 with mild to severe asthma throughout Monterey County experienced a week filled with activities at Monterey Park Elementary School, as part of a program to better manage their asthma.
The gathering took place at the annual Salinas Valley Health Mark Velcoff, MD Asthma Camp, a community outreach program offered by Salinas Valley Health. In Monterey County, about 7,496 children have asthma out of 111,000 children in the county, according to the American Lung Association.
"Asthma shouldn't keep children from enjoying the activities they love," said Dr. Steven Prager, asthma camp medical director in a statement. "Our goal is to help every camper better understand their condition while building the confidence and skills they need to live active, healthy lives. Just as importantly, they discover they're not alone and make friendships with other children who share similar experiences."
Made possible through support from Salinas Valley Health, the Salinas Valley Health Foundation and Children's Miracle Network, the camp provides these kids with a safe and medically supervised environment with guidance by Salinas Valley Health respiratory therapists, healthcare professionals and trained volunteers, according to a press release by Salinas Valley Health.
“I just wanted to come back because there's a lot of fun field trips and there's a lot of good food,” says 12-year-old Orlando Bravo. “But the thing I like about asthma camp is how they encourage you to learn about your asthma.”
First-time participant Adriana Ruano shares a similar sentiment.
“I have really enjoyed meeting new people, doing fun activities, and going to the pool,” Ruano says. “They also taught me a lot about my asthma and helped me figure out which inhaler to use often and which to use for emergencies only.”
Throughout the week, children participated in traditional summer activities including swimming, hiking, soccer, pickleball and the popular camp Olympics. The kids were also involved in educational sessions focused on understanding asthma triggers, proper medication use, breathing techniques and strategies that help them stay active and healthy.
The kids concluded their activities with a family lunch and a graduation ceremony with awards.