Rock climbing camp hosted by CHOP helps empower children with limb differences

Rock climbing walls can be challenging, especially for children who are missing arms or legs or have other physical limitations. But that didn't stop a group from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia participating in Camp Rock.

Thirteen-year-old Chanel Hollingsworth can't walk on her own but she's able to get out of her wheelchair and climb a wall. She's part of the rock climbing camp for children with limb differences.

"It's really fun," Hollingsworth said. "It's a nice place where people with differences can come and know that we are all the same."

The camp is designed for children with differences affecting their hands, arms or legs. It also welcomes children with differences in function, appearance or both.

At the camp, differences are not just accepted but celebrated.

Nate Brant, 11, has a nickname for the small hand he was born with, he calls it "a lucky fin". 

Brant says rock climbing isn't that hard for him and when asked if it's painful: "Not really, I mean it hurts when I grab the things, the rocks obviously, but no it's not hard," Brant said.

Megan Pehnke, an Occupational Therapist with CHOP, said the camp is helpful for the kids physically and mentally, building self-esteem.

"Challenging them to participate in this camp and push them to set individual goals, and then exceed those goals can really give these kids a boost of confidence and teach them, and show them that they really can do anything that they want to set out to do," Pehnke said.

Ava Zawislak, 9, had her leg amputated because bone cancer and is happy be participating in the camp.

"I was really scared on the first day but now I'm so happy that I made it to the top and stuff," she said.

Camp Rock is all about empowering differences with the campers reaching new heights.