RUSH, N.Y. — Summer camps are in full swing, and a one-of-a-kind program in our area just got a major boost. The Pirate Toy Fund donated toys and books to Empowering People’s Independence Summer Camp, known as Camp EAGR, on Tuesday.

For one week campers will come and stay in cabins at the Rotary Sunshine Camp in Rush, but they’re a part of the camp so they’re staying with kids who are just like them.

Camp EAGR is for children with epilepsy. It’s one of eight camps in the nation for children with epilepsy and is made possible by Empowering People’s Independence. Over 40 kids with different forms of epilepsy get to sleep away at camp. They swim, rock climb, and ride horses, but with specialized staff who understand epilepsy and how to handle it.

The kids get to make connections with others who experience the same challenges they do. Camp Director Mike Radell says kids who come to Camp EAGR leave with a better sense of self.

“They get to experience things that they haven’t experienced before. And also we notice that their self-esteem increases and their confidence increases. So in the fall, when they go back to school, they have that confidence that they never had before and they’re able to do things they didn’t think they could do,” Radell said.

The camp has 24-hour neurologists in their medical center, so the kids are safe and have people who specialize in their needs.

Over 40 kids will come to Camp EAGR this summer and when they wake up, they’ll be next to kids who are just like them.

Camper-turned-counselor Sydney Ratcliff calls the camp home. Before camp, Sydney’s seizures were almost too much to handle. She’s been in and out of the hospital, missing out on experiencing life.

“Certain music artists I do love and I can’t go to their concerts because of the flashing lights,” she said.

And if that wasn’t enough of a reminder she had epilepsy, kids at school made sure she knew.

“I got bullied a lot for having epilepsy. A lot of people made jokes about it. A lot of people would flicker the lights because they thought it was funny,” Sydney said.

One of the times she was in the hospital, she learned about Camp EAGR. That was ten years ago.

“You share your stories and you feel welcomed like you feel like other people understand you. Finally, other than nurses and doctors,” Sydney said.

Camp Director Mike Radell says for kids to be around others going through the same things can be life-changing.

“They realize that they’re not the only one and their new friend has epilepsy. They have these seizures that occur. And we have seizures. And we go on and we enjoy life the way it’s supposed to be lived,” Radell said.

Sydney says she met her best friend at the camp.

“I met her all because I came here in third or fourth grade and ever since then I’m really grateful for her because she’s everything to me. Camp best friends, I think are going to be like the ones that last a lifetime because they understand you and your seizures,” Sydney said.

Now Sydney is a counselor in training, giving back to a program that gave her so much.

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