The First Football Summer Camp

【Patient Activity】The first football summer camp – for victory and self-confidence!

The last day of February is InternationalRare Disease Day. The year of 2018 happens to be the FIFA World Cup year. Thefoundation held the Rare Disease Parents and Kids Football Experience Games atNangang Sports Center, Taipei on the afternoon of March 10. The event wasparticipated by nearly 80 patient families of 18 diseases and the youngerparticipant was only five years old. It allowed rare disease children who lovefootball to have a chance to show their skills and created happy memories forthem.

Mikko, a football coach from Finland, has astrong empathy for these children because there is a handicapped child in hisfamily. He gives football lessons to children with the Down Syndrome. Heparticipated in this project after learning about it from Dr. Shuan-Pei Lin,(the foundation’s chairman), a senior visiting staff at Division of Pediatricsof Mackay Memorial Hospital. He said that it was his pleasure to be involved in it.

The foundation’s Executive Director Kuan-JuChen says: “The Family Football Camp is not only a celebration of theInternational Rare Disease Day, but also wants to train the hand-eyecoordination and muscular endurance of children who cannot exercise normallydue to rare diseases. Moreover, the event aims to strengthen the relationshipand teamwork within families with children with rare diseases.” She expressesthe gratitude to the support and sponsorship from donators who allow patientsand their families to celebrate the International Rare Disease Day with plentyof sweat and smile. 

Translator: Mei Chiang (ALS)