Camp Wheez is a day camp each year in August for elementary school children, ages 6-12 with chronic asthma, providing them with a camp experience designed for their special needs. It is free of charge and open to the community. Campers learn about their asthma while they participate in recreation and arts and crafts. Parents attend a brief workshop which provides an update on asthma care and a time to have their questions answered by an asthma specialist, followed by a play presented by the children.

Camp Wheez 2012 Information:

Dates: August 6 - 10, 2012

Time: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Extended Hours: 12:30 – 5:30 pm: Boys & Girls Club van will pick up kids and take them to the club.  Activities available at the club until 5:30 pm.  Parents must complete membership agreement with Boys & Girls Club.

Location: First Baptist Church, 949 Veronica Springs Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Campers: Children with asthma, ages 6 – 12

Fee: Free of charge.

Click here to download our 2012 Camp Wheez Brochure (in English and en Espanol) 

Click here to Download the 2012 Camp Wheez Application Packet

Transfere directa la applicacion de Camp Wheez 2012 (Espanol)

Click here to Download the 2012 Camp Wheez Application Packet (in Spanish)

For more information or to receive an application contact:

Wendy Raffetto, Camp Wheez Director

Phone: 805-681-7897

Email:  wraffett@sansumclinic.org

Medical Director: Myron Leibhaber, MD
Camp Director: Wendy Rafetto, AE-C
Camp Nurse: Jill Searchinger, RN
Camp "Mom": Linda Chapman
Fund Development: Dru Hartley

Dr. Myron Liebhaber founded Camp Wheez in 1977 in collaboration with the American Lung Association. Continuing today, Dr. Liebhaber, other medical professionals, and community members volunteer their time to teach children how to manage their asthma while they get to experience good old-fashioned camp fun!

Sansum Clinic would like to thank the many organizations, caring professionals and individuals who joined together for a successful Camp Wheez 2011.

Anonymous
Patricia Henley Foundation
Swanton Foundation
Rotary Club, Santa Barbara Sunrise
First Baptist Church
Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara
CSL Behring, LLC
Photography by Albert DiPadova
Balloons by Anais Williams
And our many community volunteers!

Camp Wheez 2011 Staff:
Camp Wheez Program Director – Margaret Weiss, MPH, Director of Health Education
Medical Director – Myron Liebhaber, MD, Allergist
Camp Wheez Nurse – Jill Searchinger, RN, Lead Nurse
Camp Wheez Coordinator – Wendy Raffetto, AE-C, Asthma Educator
Camp Wheez Mother – Linda Chapman, Clinical Research Manager

Camp Wheez Lung Class Teachers:
Charish Barry MD
Saida Hamdani MD, Sansum Clinic
Laurel Mehler MD
Suzanne Michaud MPH, CenCal Health                 
Anu Sharma MD, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics           

Camp Wheez Lung Lab Teachers
Oscar Colunga RRT, Sansum Clinic                                     
Michael Grigsby RRT/RN, Cottage Health System
Wendy Raffetto, AE-C, Sansum Clinic
Jill Searchinger RN, Sansum Clinic

Camp Wheez Counselors:
Leslie Grodin
Adrian Laralde
Yessenia Marroqin, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Rachel Martinez, Sansum Clinic
Peter McCorkle, Patricia Henley Foundation
Cheryl McGuirk
Anna Missoff, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Dawn O’Bar, Yoga Instructor
Yolanda Pandolfi
Eve Stanley
Carrie Yamate, Sansum Clinic

Camp Wheez Jr. Counselors – including students from Santa Barbara High, San Marcos High and Dos Pueblos High schools: Nico Amboy, Dylan Butler, Sandy Campbell, Sergio Favela, Ariana Gil, Matt Heintz, Corrie Jimenez, Tarin Kennedy, Matthew Kiyoi, Patrick Konkol, Kyung Mejia, Chris Newton, Tommy Villa

Dr. Myron Liebhaber discusses current medical treatment for asthma, various allergies and cystic fibrosis, and describes his summer day camp for kids who learn how to deal with their breathing disorders while having fun in this video from Just Between Us! Interviews with Co-Hosts Actor/Director WILLIAM SMITHERS & Author/Teacher LORRIE HULL SMITHERS

The rapid evolution of medical treatments and technologies, and soaring costs, continue to increase the challenges to healthcare today.  We rely on private support so that we may continue our commitment to the healthcare needs of our community for programs such as Camp Wheez.  If you would like to support the good health of our community by making a gift to Sansum Clinic, please click on the DONATE NOW button, or download this mail in donation form, or call us at (805) 681-7726. Thank you.

For more information about this program, please contact Dru A. Hartley, Director of Philanthropy, at (805) 681-7726 or dhartley@sansumclinic.org.