Sarah is a young lady who has cerebral palsy. She is nonverbal and is in a wheelchair. Sarah needs total care in her everyday activities. Her family has been sending Sarah to UCP's therapeutic horseback riding program, Saddle Up!, for many years. The heat of the horse warms Sarah's muscles and helps to loosen tight muscles due to her cerebral palsy.
Sarah has her own riding helmet and loves to ride the horses at Saddle Up! When she arrives at Saddle Up! she always smiles and is excited to ride her horse. Saddle Up! is a recreational activity that gives her the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, while getting physical benefits as well.
In addition to Saddle Up!, Sarah also participates in UCP's Overnight Camp. When the Children's Services Manager first started at UCP, Sarah did not participate in any of UCP's camps, but she persuaded Sarah's parents to allow her to visit Overnight Camp during the day. The Children's Services Manager believes that since UCP's Overnight Camp has a nurse on staff 24 hours a day to help with passing medications and provides tube feedings, this was seen as reassurance for Sarah's family that their daughter would be safe.
This will be the third summer that Sarah has visited the Overnight Camp during the day. She has a one-on-one volunteer who works with her throughout the day and provides social opportunities for her as well. Sarah also goes swimming with other campers, decorates cookies, makes craft projects and attends all of the special guest visits. Camp give her the opportunity to have fun with peers of the same age and volunteers, but more importantly allows her parents a break to spend time with her other siblings.