Meet our friend Hailee.

She may be little, but she has a big sparkly personality! She’s an adventurous, playful kid who loves spending time with her family and practicing her sideways walk. Hailee also lives with Morquio (more-key-oh) Syndrome, a rare genetic skeletal dysplasia that affects her bones, spine, organs, and physical abilities, demanding extraordinary care and attention.

For Hailee, life is often filled with a whirlwind of medical appointments, treatments, and therapies requiring unwavering strength and commitment from her and her family. Her condition impacts her entire body, and she has more medical specialists at age seven than most people will see in a lifetime.

Despite the challenges and unknowns, there is a place of pure joy for Hailee—Camp Korey. The moment she arrives at camp, an entirely different narrative unfolds. “In her day-to-day life, there’s always Morquio, and when she’s at Camp Korey, it’s a time when she can feel like everyone else, and Morquio doesn’t matter.”

At camp, Hailee is unstoppable. She throws her head back and laughs, just like any other child. She makes memories with new friends like her “camp bestie,” Sadie. She jumps in the pool, climbs the rock wall, and aims for the bullseye in archery because all of Camp Korey’s activities are designed to meet her unique needs. Hailee’s mom says, “The beauty of Camp Korey is that she can go and just completely be a kid—like, unhinged—just be a kid.”

Camp sessions are grouped by medical condition, so with every camp adventure, Hailee and her family connect with others who have shared experiences and truly understand what they are going through.

Thanks to people like you, all of Camp Korey’s programs are offered 100% free of charge. Hailee’s dad shares, “Insurance is a part of every decision we make. Hailee’s care is over one million dollars a year.” When Hailee’s parents consider their medical costs for the year, a week at camp will never need to be budgeted for, just enjoyed.