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Meet Camp Dakota 

If there’s a bright side to having juvenile arthritis, it’s Camp Dakota. It’s a place where kids with arthritis meet for one week each summer. Camp Dakota is about making friends that last a lifetime. 

How many times a day or week do you fight with your son or daughter about arthritis medications? Our friend, Amy, mom of Brandon, was in that same boat… until Camp Dakota. They used to struggle with all things arthritis – running, playing, medicine, stretching, doctor appointments, etc. She signed him up for camp. He didn’t want to go. 

After a week at Camp Dakota, the struggle faded. He felt part of a group and found a home with kids just like him. Kids that couldn’t always play basketball with their classmates. Kids that had a hard time in gym class. Kids that missed a lot of school.  

Arthritis Foundation Michigan hosts Camp Dakota each summer. It provides a safe and secure experience for kids and teens living with juvenile arthritis. Campers gain a greater understanding of their arthritis, connect with others, increase independence and self-confidence and discover new skills and interests.