I met Hanna in 2012 when I was working at a US Summer Camp. She was a quiet camper and usually kept to herself. In saying that, she was very concerned about the welfare of those around her. If anyone required any assistance or needed help with anything Hanna would always be willing to lend a hand.
The very first class I had my first year at Summer Camp was Journalism. I was a little thrown off guard because I was not employed to teach Journalism but they had it as an activity and needed someone to teach it. Doing what counselors do if they are not sure I just completely winged the class and tried to make it as enjoyable as possible. Camp is very much go, go, go all the time this class was a chance to take some time out and just reflect on Camp as a whole or make a new creative story… most of which I felt like I had come out of a horror movie after reading them.
Hanna’s first free writing piece gave me the smallest of insights into what her life was like. The week Hanna was at Camp was the Haemophiliac week. More than half the children at Camp that week had the condition. It is a condition that affects the body’s ability to clot blood which means any cut or graze could be a very serious issue.
Hanna’s free-write piece
I have Von Willabrands Disease which is a form of haemophilia. We are just like everyone we just have to be cautious of what we do in everyday life. Many people have miscommunication about it. A lot of people believe that we have HIV or AIDS because some of us have to infuse with needles. It’s hard at times to live with because you are left out of lots of games by yourself. I am the only teen in my town with it. There is a lot of stuff I can’t do with my friends so I usually stay back. Sometimes if we get cut or need help sometimes people won’t. My friend got discriminated. We are like everybody else just different in little ways. We have to wear medic bracelets everyday just in case we get hurt.
The Camp also has a week dedicated to children with diabetes. They have had a very different life growing up compared to other children. They are much more aware of their health and have much more responsibilities than most children their same age. I often felt that these children appreciated being at camp a lot more as a whole.
In 2013 I returned to Summer Camp and it was Hanna’s last year as a Camper. I asked her to tie my Silver Rag that year which is part of the YMCA Raggers Program. Usually counselors get other counselors to tie their rags but Hanna always inspired me and she had so many traits that I admired I wanted to take a reminder of those qualities home with me in some capacity. Those memories are locked away in that Silver Rag.
Despite Hanna’s challenges she always had a positive attitude. She was one of the most selfless campers I came across throughout my time at Camp. She has this amazing intuition where she would always gravitate to the campers that needed support or were feeling down. She spent a lot of time with the younger campers as well just chatting to them and making them smile. She was a huge asset to the Camp and well respected by all the counselors.
This year I got a message from Hanna letting me know she was graduating in a couple of weeks. I couldn’t believe it. Where had that time gone? I got the details from her and stayed up till 2am to watch the graduation. Hanna was the School Captain or School precinct I think they call it in America which was a huge feat in itself. What I didn’t know was that she would be addressing the whole graduating class. As I was sitting there listening to her speech I couldn’t help but think how far she had come. Was this the same shy camper that attended Camp? The speech was first class and I could relate to a lot of what had been said.
“Many would agree Success is not about making money but developing one’s self into a person who is valuable to others. Success is the result of taking action on our most important goals, when we constantly focus our energies and efforts on what matters most we can’t help but to be successful”
“Now it is our time to leave our mark on this world, to inspire others and change others’ lives, to make us better people who will one day leave an ever lasting impression on this earth”
Hanna you have already achieved this. You helped shape my perspective on life and you have already done the small things on a daily basis that make a lasting impact on others.
I’m glad I got to watch Hanna graduate and blossom into the person she is today. I can’t wait to see what else she is going to achieve in life. This is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a camp counselors, watching children follow their dreams, setting big goals and achieving them with a smile on their face.
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