Meet Camper Evan

Meet Evan.

Evan’s family has returned to Camp Korey year after year, and camp has become part of their story, shares mom Amy.

“My son, Evan, was born with CHARGE syndrome. It is an extremely complex condition, affecting each child differently. In Evan’s case, CHARGE impacts all of his senses. He has hearing loss, partial facial paralysis, absent vestibular nerves, a coloboma in his right eye, no sense of smell, and facial recognition blindness. He also uses a CPAP and has a feeding tube.”

Evan’s medical needs are complex, and much of his life requires careful planning and support.

“At camp, none of this defines him. Evan goes fishing and swimming. He participates in archery, sings, and dances on stage.”

Camp is designed so that Evan can participate fully, with support built in.

“Evan has been under anesthesia more than a dozen times and has undergone more than 20 surgical procedures. But don’t let that fool you. He has worked hard to meet life’s challenges head-on. Evan is successful in a mainstream public sixth-grade classroom with full-time 1:1 support and is currently reading at a 12th-grade level. He has a great sense of humor and loves dancing in the kitchen. Although doctors doubted he would walk until he was between eight and ten years old, Evan began running at age three.”

Support for Evan extends far beyond camp, and his family has worked tirelessly alongside him.

“How did we do it? Therapy, hard work, determination, and a lot of love. A lot of that love has come from Camp Korey.”

For Evan’s family, camp has become something they return to year after year.

“Since our first Summer Session in 2020, when Evan was seven, we have been regular family camp attendees. It has been incredible to watch how much he has grown and how much Camp Korey has brought our family together. That summer, Evan rode an adaptive bike for the first time. Now, he is the youngest participant in Skagit Special Olympics for the third year in a row!”

Family camp creates space not just for campers, but for parents and siblings too.

“Family camp is truly for the whole family. As a parent, you get to be fully present with your kids. Instead of planning meals or managing schedules, you can simply enjoy who they are at their core.”

Siblings are an important part of that experience.

“Camp is also a gift for siblings. Being a sibling to a child with medical needs is hard. The attention is often on the other child and additional responsibilities are inherent. No matter how hard parents work to keep balance, there are still challenges and responsibilities that surface. At Camp Korey, Evan’s brother gets the chance to connect with other siblings who understand his experience. He also gets to be a star at stage night and participate in all camp has to offer. And at the end of a busy, joy-filled day, the two brothers wind down by reading together.”

Some parts of camp continue to shape family life long after sessions end.

“Camp Korey has also taught us the STAR Model: Safety, Try new things, Always build up, and Respect yourself and everyone around you. This is something we continue to use at home. It encourages Evan to find the good in everything and to keep positive.”

And when new challenges arise, this family knows where to look for connection.

“And when life does get hard again, whether it’s surgery for a BAHA cochlear implant or navigating big changes in middle school, we look for Camp Korey. Whether we’re gathering with the Camp Korey community at a baseball game, supporting them at Bingo Night, or finding their tent at the local fair, they bring joy to Evan’s life, time and time again.

The connections that we have made at Camp Korey will forever be in our hearts.
We are Camp Korey.”