UM Children’s Hospital hosting summer camp for kids with congenital heart conditions

UM Children’s Hospital hosting summer camp for kids with congenital heart conditions

The University of Maryland Children’s Hospital (UMCH) Thursday announced the launch of Upbeat Hearts, a summer camp tailored for children with congenital heart conditions.

The program is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, at the Running Bear Campground in Monkton.

The goal of the camp is to help patients proactively manage their heart conditions. Activities will cover echocardiograms, heart anatomy and emergency response techniques. Patrice Bollock, an advocate for cardiac safety in schools, will provide hands-on CPR training and former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader Kori Sullivan will lead a dance-off.

The camp will also feature a visit from medics with Baltimore County Fire Department Station No. 60, heart-healthy cooking demonstrations and food from Andy Nelson’s BBQ and Primo Pasta Kitchen. Classic summer camp activities such as arts and crafts, water games, nature hikes and dips in the river will round out the experience.

Most campers are patients from UMCH’s heart program, renowned for its advanced cardiology and complex infant and child heart surgeries. UMCH is located inside the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in downtown Baltimore. UMMC is the flagship hospital of the 11-hospital University of Maryland Medical System.