United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

As a BOD, we are starting to put together ideas of what programming attendees to our next camp would like to have available. The site we are working towards will have alot of fun activities for all ages, and we are confident that it will appeal to everyone. What we want to make sure is that that we offer the educational and supportive seminars that also appeal to all age groups, injury level and individual needs.

We are hoping to get some ideas from the community as to what you might want to get out of this next camp.

What types of programming will appeal to you as attendees? We have several ideas such as bringing in Pain Specialists, vocational councilers, Social Security speakers, Motivational speakers, etc

Let us know what you would like to see. You'll see something in the next Outreach as well asking for input.

I have a 16 yr old who has never been to the camp (do to financial reasons), he has never met another like him. I would love to have counselors there that can help him see it is okay and that there is nothing wrong with him, He seems to be very angry.

It seems like a small thing - but a typing clinic. Might be good for teens and adults to learn ways to compensate for BPI while keyboarding. For teens planning to go to college I think it would it would be especially helpful but helpful for anyone who uses the internet to post on message boards!

I basically taught myself to type one handed after a teacher in high school said she had "no way to teach typing to someone with just one arm." I have TWO! One just doesn't work as well! (BTW - I found books on one handed typing years later. Yes, there are ways to teach people who have limited use of one hand how to type!)

At the last camp there was someone to help the girls. It wasn't very helpful at the time for us because Sydney was too young, but now that she's older we could use that help. Things such as putting hair in a ponytail, using a curling iron, etc...Thanks.

That was a great meeting even for adult/obpi attending.
I learned a lot about my mother from the mother's.

It should be held again and I'm sure we could get adult/obpi to attend.

Kath robpi/adult

I was one of the "girls" who helped with how to do a ponytail, And Amy gave her way too. I know one of the girls, Julianna has similar amount of use with her BPI arm and her mom told me that it helped her figure it out seeing how I did it.

Us older BPIs can definitely help the younger ones with various things. It would be great to put together a list of some things and be able to sort of prepare before hand for some of it.

Marieke 34 LOBPI


Message was edited by: marieke

re: vocational counselors

We could also have some of us tell the teen and kids what we do for a job now/or have done.

We have OT's, RN... I think it might be good for them to be able to ask us how we did it/what we had to overcome. And just be able to show them what THEY could do too!

Marieke 34, lobpi

This meeting with Mother's & daughters really helped to comfort many of the mothers. They worry about the future of the daughters regarding motherhood, dating, managing daily tasks along with their choices of professions.

It was Amy who demonstrated her ponytail. The parents had so many question during this private session. It was just for females.

Kath robpi

That was a really awesome session! I have an even better way to do my pony tail now! What I have accomplished since 2005, its amazing.
Hugs,
Amy