March 2011

Aloha!

My name is Mikeila Aquino. I am a 15 year old sophomore at Newark Memorial High School in Newark, CA. I was born with a congenital heart disease called Pulmonary Atresia. In other words, my heart didn’t have a pulmonary valve. I had three open heart surgeries by the time I was two years old and a fourth one two years ago. I am trying to raise money to provide other children just like me, the opportunity of attending Camp Taylor, a free summer camp for kids with heart disease.

When I was 9 years old, I learned about Camp Taylor. Each summer for the past seven years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend this wonderful camp in Livermore, CA. This year Camp Taylor will also be returning to Hawaii to host a Family Camp that will serve many of the children living there with heart disease. I have the opportunity to be a mentor camper to one of these families and raise money for them to be able to go to camp.

I love Camp Taylor! It gives kids with heart disease the opportunity to meet others just like them. Everyone fits in there. Before going to Camp, I felt very uncomfortable and embarrassed whenever others would question me about my scar. At Camp, everyone has a scar like mine and I learned to be more confident and not hide it. Because Camp Taylor has a wonderful staff, including a cardiologist, and many nurses, kids with heart disease have the opportunity to do things that they wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere, like rock wall climbing, swimming, doing a ropes course, horseback riding and many other fun activities. At camp, we also learn about our individual conditions and how to better cope with them. I have made so many lifetime friends there and know that I am accepted for who I am at Camp Taylor. 

Please consider making a donation so that Camp Taylor can continue to make a difference and touch the lives of children in Hawaii and on the mainland. Mahalo for all your support.

Love and aloha,
Mikeila
P.S. Please pass this message on to all of your friends and family.

To learn more about Camp Taylor visit http://www.kidsheartcamp.org/

 

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