During WriCampia 2024, Nell, one of the writers of this piece, started to work on an article for The Yearly WriCampian about what it was like to live with diseases, dietary restrictions, and chronic illnesses, at sleepaway camp. She didn’t know if there were other campers like her at WriCampia who had health conditions that impacted their experience, but after sending out a survey, she was shocked to discover that many campers dealt with a variety of health conditions.
Many campers shared that they often feel insecure when attending camps with their added health difficulties. It can be scary not knowing whether a camp will accommodate your needs, whether it be if you’ll find food you can eat, outlets for hearing aids or other medical devices, or having energy to get through the day. Having to explain a disability can be awkward or embarrassing, even if fellow campers and staff are supportive.
After making this discovery, Nell wanted to create a new affinity group that we now refer to as “DDC,” which stands for campers with Disabilities, Dietary Needs, and Chronic Illnesses so that these campers could meet others who they related to. Nell had always wanted to do something like this, but had never found the right opportunity.
But at the first DDC meeting in 2024, Nell and Molly Kaplan, an Upper Camper she had interviewed for her article, found themselves with only each other sitting outside the theater porch. It takes dedication and time for an idea to take hold. Soon, the late-night elective began to grow slowly—and they eventually started calling themselves the “small but mighty group,” maintaining that their elective was not any less important despite its size.
And mighty it proved to be. After the DDC members had to depart from camp, they texted throughout the year on a group chat. Some DDC members were so inspired by their new group that they extended the new space to their own schools. Campers Emilia, 14, and Nell, both started similar clubs at their respective schools. When WriCampia 2025 began, Nell and other members of DDC were eager to pick back up where they left off. ✎
