INDIANAPOLIS— “You couldn’t shut me up for 24 hours,” said Delenn Antanovich about her time at Camp Riley.
Delenn attended the camp for the first time two years ago. It was her first time away from home and she got to do activities like water skiing and zip lining.
“The first time I did it i was terrified out of my mind, but once I got started I felt free. I felt like I could do anything,” said Delenn.
Delenn has spina bifida and is in a wheelchair. It’s a diagnosis her mom found out about when she was 20 weeks pregnant and went in for a check-up. Spina bifida is a rare birth defect where the spinal cord does not develop or close properly during pregnancy.
“I was scared to death, scared to death,” said Jenny Antanovich, Delenn’s mom.
Those initial fears for Jenny have passed after finding out more about spina bifida and how Delenn has been able to live her life.
“She has brought people into our world just like right now who we never would have met before, we’ve had experiences that we never would have experienced with another child,” said Jenny.
Camp Riley has helped broaden the horizons for Delenn and introduced her to people she can connect with.
“She has grown as a human, as a person with a disability, she sees things in a different way now that there’s a freedom she didn’t even know she could have before, I didn’t know she could have before,” said Jenny.
More than 300 kids attend Camp Riley each year and medical care is available 24/7. The Riley Children's Foundationalso provides financial support to make sure no kids get turned away. The Riley Children’s Foundation just launched its $300 million campaign. The money helps with programs like Camp Riley as well as other resources for children’s health.
The priority deadline to sign up for Camp Riley is Monday, March 31st. To sign up you can follow this link.
