Page 6 - CMTeen_Volume3_Issue1

Being a teenager is hard. Now, imagine having
CMT and being a teenager. Finally, imagine that
The campers in the Upper Boys Cabin bonded over sports, video games you’re a teenager with CMT who has never met
and living with CMT. anyone else your age with CMT. That’s a pretty
familiar story for many campers when they
come to Camp Footprint, including Anthony
Herrera, now 16.
“I never knew anyone my age with CMT,” says
Anthony, who was diagnosed with CMT at 12
years old.

Fortunately, Anthony’s grandmother learned
about Camp Footprint. The rest is history.
“Once Anthony’s grandmother found out about
Camp Footprint, we started doing everything to
make sure he had what he needed to get there,”
says Maury Herrera, Anthony’s dad. “Although
he had some reservations about going at first, I
knew he would go and flourish. And he did – he
loved it.”

Anthony’s mother, Beatriz, had long hoped that
he would connect with some other campers.
“Anthony didn’t quite understand what he
was going through,” Beatriz says. “I really
Brothers
wanted him to learn more about CMT and to
Band of
understand that he’s not alone. The fact that
he’s formed these long-term relationships with
kids who have the same
struggles he does really helps.”

Over the course of the week
at camp, Anthony formed a
the Upper Boys Cabin.
The Upper Boys - tight bond with his “brothers” in
“All of us guys would hang out, throw a football
“THE GOATS”...Greatest Of All Time! around,” Anthony says. “We talked a lot about
sports, movies and games. And I found out
things about CMT that I never knew before. We
became like a big family.”

The Upper Boys have kept in touch throughout the year Anthony’s new friends also gave him the boost
through texting and Snapchat. he needed to try new things.
“Trying new things, like the zip line, shook me
up at first,” Anthony says. “But the guys encour-
aged me. There was lots of daring and competi-
tion among the guys!”
The encouragement Anthony received at camp
has followed him home, too.

“At camp, they really push the kids and show
them that there’s nothing they can’t do,” Maury
says. “I know that he has to live with CMT all of
his life and that he has to learn to handle it the
best way he knows how. Camp gives him those
tools and the enthusiasm and confidence to
push himself.”
Anthony plans to go to camp again this summer,
and beyond that, he aspires to be a counselor
at Camp Footprint someday. For now, Beatriz
says, Anthony and his family are all soaking up
the positivity that camp has brought to their
lives.

“Anthony comes back from camp a different
kid,” Beatriz says. “He’s not depressed. He’s
really happy and enthusiastic. Camp inspires
him – and he inspires us.”
The Upper Boys showed off their GOAT tattoos.