How Camp Supports Healing, Play, and Belonging for Medically Complex Kids
Inside the Children's Hospital
Release Date: 02/04/2026
Trust, Grief, and Loving Your Child Through Big Identity Changes
Inside the Children's Hospital
What happens when your child shares something that shifts the future you thought you understood? In this episode of Inside the Children’s Hospital, Katie sits down with Kelly Kemp — certified child life specialist of more than 30 years and mom of three — to talk about navigating trust, grief, advocacy, and love after her child was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and came out as transgender. Kelly shares: The phone call that changed everything Navigating substance use and mental health concerns Grieving privately while choosing love publicly Rebuilding trust with her...
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Helping Kids Navigate Physical Differences: Child Life Strategies for Confidence, Curiosity & Resilience
Inside the Children's Hospital
This week’s guest, Abby Horton, opens up about her journey as a Child Life Specialist working across ICU, burn, surgical, rehab, and inpatient settings—and how those experiences shaped the way she supports families navigating physical differences. From sudden trauma and accidents to limb differences, burn injuries, surgical scars, and hair loss from chemotherapy, Abby shares how parents can gently empower their children to own their story with confidence. She and Katie discuss simple, age-appropriate scripts that help children respond to questions about their bodies. Abby explains why...
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Micro Preemie at 25 Weeks: A NICU Mom’s Journey
Inside the Children's Hospital
This week's guest opens up about the shock of an emergency C-section at 25 weeks and 3 days, the fear of entering the NICU for the first time, and the powerful role Child Life Specialists played in supporting not only Vincent, but their entire family, including his older brother. She reflects on what helped her cope during long NICU days, how she advocated for herself using her healthcare background, and what she wishes she had known about the “medically complex” label sooner. This episode explores sibling bonding in the NICU, the impact of a truly integrated care team, the importance of...
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Tube Feeding Awareness: Lived Experience, Real Talk, and Hope for the Future
Inside the Children's Hospital
When tube feeding enters your life—whether at birth, in childhood, or adulthood—it can feel overwhelming, isolating, and misunderstood. In this special live episode of Inside the Children’s Hospital, we center the voices of those with lived experience to explore what tube feeding really looks like beyond the diagnosis and discharge instructions. Host Katie Taylor is joined by parent advocates, a young adult patient, and a pediatric dietitian to share honest, unfiltered perspectives on NG tubes, G-tubes, GJ tubes, and blended feeds. Together, they discuss early fears and misconceptions,...
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How Camp Supports Healing, Play, and Belonging for Medically Complex Kids
Inside the Children's Hospital
When your child’s life is shaped by medical complexity, childhood can quickly become defined by hospital stays, procedures, and limitations. In today’s episode, we explore how medically supported camps transform that narrative—creating space for joy, belonging, and healing for children, families, and even healthcare providers themselves. Katie Taylor is joined by Dr. Laura Blaisdell, Chief Medical Officer of SeriousFun Children’s Network, and Jamie Gentille, Child Life Specialist Leader and former camper, to share the life-changing impact of camp for children with serious illnesses....
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Rare Lung Disease, Epilepsy and the Diagnostic Journey
Inside the Children's Hospital
When your child survives one medical emergency only to face another, parenting becomes a constant act of advocacy and courage. Today’s guest joins us to share her daughter's journey with rare and complex medical conditions, from early respiratory failure and unexplained hospitalizations to epilepsy, lung disease, and life with medical uncertainty. As a military spouse navigating deployments, Brittany shares what it means to walk this path largely alone, trust her instincts as a mother, and fight to be believed by medical professionals. This episode explores navigating rare disease without...
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Severe Hemophilia: A Newborn, A Brain Bleed, and PICU Experience
Inside the Children's Hospital
When your newborn is healthy one moment and rushed to the PICU the next, life can change in an instant. Today’s guest joins us to share her son’s journey with severe hemophilia—from unexpected bleeding after a routine circumcision to a spontaneous brain bleed, emergency surgery, and a months-long PICU stay. This episode explores being thrust into medical motherhood, learning to advocate under unimaginable stress, and how community, child life, and modern medicine help families navigate life with a complex diagnosis. Download our free to help empower your child and family during hospital...
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When Insurance Isn’t Enough: A Parent’s Type 1 Diabetes Story
Inside the Children's Hospital
When your child receives a new medical diagnosis, it can feel like the world shifts beneath your feet. Today’s guest joins Katie Taylor to share her daughter’s Type 1 Diabetes journey—from dismissing "textbook" symptoms to navigating the financial challenges of families when it comes to chronic illness. This episode explores how one Mom moved from denial to "work mode" and how the HealthWell Foundation helps families afford life-saving medications. Sponsored in part by —learn how you can help families afford life-saving medications at healthwellfoundation.org. Download our...
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New Diagnosis: What to Do When Your Child Gets Diagnosed
Inside the Children's Hospital
When your child receives a new medical diagnosis, it can feel like the world shifts beneath your feet. Here’s how to move forward with clarity, support and connection, hosted by Katie Taylor and the Inside the Children's Hospital podcast. Listen to more stories at insidethechildrenshospital.com. Medical information provided is not a substitute for professional advice—please consult your care team. Sponsored in part by HealthWell Foundation—learn how you can help families afford life-saving medications at healthwellfoundation.org. Keywords: children’s hospital, NICU, child life...
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Welcome to Inside the Children's Hospital: What Listeners Can Expect
Inside the Children's Hospital
If your child is facing a diagnosis, procedure, or hospitalization — you're not alone. Inside the Children's Hospital brings you real stories from parents who've walked this path. Not medical advice, but the kind of honest conversation you need when you're scared, exhausted, and looking for someone who gets it. I'm Katie Taylor, a Certified Child Life Specialist with 15 years supporting families through hard moments in pediatric healthcare. On this podcast, I interview caregivers who share what it's really like — the sleepless nights, the uncertainty, the small victories, the moments that...
info_outlineWhen your child’s life is shaped by medical complexity, childhood can quickly become defined by hospital stays, procedures, and limitations. In today’s episode, we explore how medically supported camps transform that narrative—creating space for joy, belonging, and healing for children, families, and even healthcare providers themselves.
Katie Taylor is joined by Dr. Laura Blaisdell, Chief Medical Officer of SeriousFun Children’s Network, and Jamie Gentille, Child Life Specialist Leader and former camper, to share the life-changing impact of camp for children with serious illnesses. From zip-lining with oxygen tubing to late-night cabin chats that build confidence and identity, this conversation highlights how thoughtfully designed camp experiences allow kids to be kids—without compromising medical safety.
This episode explores the power of positive childhood experiences, how camps seamlessly integrate complex medical care behind the scenes, the role of child life specialists and medical volunteers in creating safe spaces for play, and why camp is just as healing for providers as it is for children. You’ll also hear Jamie’s personal journey from camper to child life specialist and why camp will always feel like home.
Explore Child Life On Call's directory of medical and disability-friendly summer camps for kids! This resource helps families find inclusive summer camp options that support children with medical needs and disabilities, making it easier to plan fun, safe, and engaging summer experiences.
Today’s Episode is sponsored by Moog Medical. Moog Medical is a trusted leader in infusion and enteral feeding technology, designing reliable, easy-to-use pumps that support safe, precise care for patients with complex medical needs—at home and in healthcare settings.
Resources from today’s episode:
Medical & Camp Support:
Connect & Support from Child Life On Call
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Keywords:
Medically complex children, Pediatric medical camps, SeriousFun Children’s Network, Child life specialist, Positive childhood experiences, Pediatric chronic illness support, Medical trauma healing, Camp for children with illness, Family-centered care, Pediatric resilience, Provider burnout prevention, Therapeutic play, Sibling support, Pediatric healthcare community
Medical information provided is not a substitute for professional advice—please consult your care team