St. Mary’s Medical Center is pleased to announce that it will once again sponsor Camp Nota-Gona-Wheeze, an asthma camp for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The free camp will host 50 students and will run Monday, March 24th through Friday, March 28th from 7:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Delaware Elementary School in Evansville.
According to the American Lung Association, asthma is one of the most common chronic disorders among children, affecting more than 7 million children across the country. It is also one of the leading causes of school absenteeism and the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15.
Camp Nota-Gona-Wheeze, now in its 9th year, provides asthma education in a fun and interactive environment. Campers will learn to identify triggers for asthma attacks and tools to help avoid those triggers. They’ll also learn about their medications, how they work, and why it’s important to take them as prescribed by their doctors. In addition, campers will have the opportunity to discuss their feelings about their asthma and meet other children their age who are also coping with the condition.
Each day will have its own unique activity. On Wednesday morning there will be a “Caregivers Camp†educational session for parents and other caregivers of children with asthma. Thursday will feature a trip to USI, where the kids will swim in the university’s pool and make water bottle rockets for launching.
Camp Nota-Gona-Wheeze is made possible through the collaboration of several community businesses and agencies, including the EVSC and USI. The St. Mary’s Foundation funds the camp.
Camp counselors are nursing students and respiratory therapy students, who will all be under the supervision of a USI nursing instructor. A pediatric nurse practitioner, members of the Vanderburgh County 4-H Center, and volunteers from other area agencies will help make the week a success.
Due to limited availability, sign up is recommended on or before Tuesday, March 11th. For more information on the camp, please call 812-435-8279.
