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IN THE MOMENT Magic Moments Newsletter 2023-2024 IN ALL LIFETIMES, EVERY MOMENT IS PRECIOUS. IN SOME LIFETIMES, ONE MOMENT IS MAGICAL.
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More Than a Moment Emily was only 7 when she received her magic moment. It was truly one of the best moments of her life when she arrived home to the surprise – a two-story white playhouse with a pink front door. It’s where she had tea parties, built her secret hideout, and played with friends. She was able to escape the daily reality of doctor visits and medical routines when she stepped inside this magical place. As Emily got older, she didn’t spend as much time in her playhouse, although the memories she made there would last a lifetime. She continued her medical journey with surgeries and hospitalizations. While she was deserving of another special gift, Emily, just like everyone served by Magic Moments, was only eligible for one magic moment. But, thankfully, that’s where Beyond the Moment comes in. A child’s journey with our organization doesn’t end after the magic moment. In fact, that’s just the beginning. Magic Moments Family Camp at Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin is the hallmark of our Beyond the Moment program.
In 1997, Magic Moments Family Camp was created to more comprehensively treat the emotional well-being of these children and their immediate families. And in 2013, we expanded on the ideas behind Family Camp to create the Beyond the Moment program which provides year-round support and fellowship opportunities for our families. We also host free, year-round events for Magic Moments children where families can maintain friendships and create support networks. Through Beyond the Moment, we can stay in touch with our families for many years. Every year, over Memorial Day weekend, Emily and her family would pack their bags and head to Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin for Magic Moments Family Camp. It was here that she made lifelong friends – they call themselves the “unbiological sisters,” and to this day, the now college-aged friends from the four corners of the state keep up their connection. “I wasn’t able to go off to camp on my own as a child, but at Magic Moments Family Camp, I was able to have the full camp experience with friends who understood what I was going through,” Emily said. “I looked forward to camp all year long!”