Children attending this year's Ventilation Assisted Children's Center (VACC) Camp spent a carefree day on Miami Beach on Tuesday. The annual camp brings unprecedented opportunities to ventilation-assisted children (children who need tracheostomy ventilators, C-Pap, BiPap or oxygen to support breathing) and their families. The beach event is one of several special activities that create opportunities for recreation and socialization for the children, who are limited by their dependency on medical technology. For some of the patients, the annual trip to the beach is one of the few times they can experience a dip in the ocean.
VACC camp is celebrating 30 years since its inception in 1986 and is the nation’s first week-long camp for ventilation-assisted children and their families. The camp has hosted more than 180 families, some of whom have traveled from 27 states and three countries. VACC camp is supported by Nicklaus Children’s medical professionals and students who volunteer their time during spring break each year to serve as counselors.