Thornhill boy enjoying special Crohn’s summer camp
Takes daily medication, but enjoys many sports

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 11, 2014
By Simone Joseph

When Randy Bornstein was 8 years old, he suffered from stomach aches and spent a lot of time in the bathroom.

He was tired much of the time and slept a lot. He was admitted to hospital three times in five months.

Eventually, Randy was diagnosed with pancreatitis and Crohn’s disease.

This summer, the Thornhill youth is 12 years old and taking part in a camp for young people who have Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada provides an opportunity for 24 youth from Ontario and Quebec to attend Camp Got2Go. Campers can interact with other kids facing similar challenges and are not made to feel different because of their disease.

Camp Got2Go is a summer camp experience for youths age 8 to 17 with Crohn’s or Colitis at Brigadoon Village near Halifax, Nova Scotia this week, Aug. 10 to 15.

Children living with Crohn’s and Colitis will be able to meet new friends, build self-esteem, confidence and independence, and develop strategies to help them live their lives with a chronic disease.

As for Randy, these days he still spends a lot of time in the washroom.

He can’t have popcorn (formerly one of his favorite snacks), he takes medication daily, as well as probiotics and a weekly injection.

However, he also fully takes part in hobbies he loves, including playing goal in hockey games, playing ultimate frisbee, wakeboarding, snowboarding, swimming, fishing and spending time with friends. He was the 2014 honourary chair for the GTA Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

What was he hoping to gain from his summer camp experience at Camp Got2Go?

“The experience of going to an overnight camp, meeting new people from different parts of the country and travelling by myself (without my family) on a plane for the first time,” he said in an email before camp started. ”And meeting kids my age who also live with Crohn’s and finding out how they deal with it.”

He was looking forward to experiencing new things, such as sleeping in a cabin and enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience, he said.

“I hope they have a good supply of toilet paper,” he joked.

He was asked whether he has any advice for other children with Crohn’s and Colitis.

“You get used to living with Crohn’s and the frequent bathroom pit stops and tummy aches. Take your medications, as they help keep your Crohn’s from getting worse. You take it one day at a time and depending on who it is, whether it is a friend, family, coach or teacher, never be afraid to tell them you have Crohn’s or Colitis. The more they know about the disease, the better they can deal with it,” said Randy.