A Journey From Patient to Supporter: Sydney's Shriners Children's Story

This summer, Sydney spent her days volunteering at camp, cheering on children with limb differences as they climbed rock walls, rode horses and discovered their strengths.

Why? Because she remembers what it was like to be one of those kids.

Long before the 25-year-old became a volunteer, mentor and lifelong supporter of Shriners Children's, she was a 6-year-old girl learning to navigate a life she never expected.

When a traumatic boating accident at the Lake of the Ozarks resulted in the loss of her right arm, Sydney's world changed in an instant. Following emergency surgery, Sydney was referred to Shriners Children's St. Louis, where she discovered far more than follow-up care. Here, she found a team that believed in her future long before she could envision it herself.

A New Way Forward

For the remainder of Sydney’s childhood, she worked with a multidisciplinary team comprised of occupational therapy, Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetics Services (POPS), psychological services and pediatric hand surgeon Charles Goldfarb, M.D.

Because Sydney was right-handed and lost her dominant arm in the accident, many of the tasks she once completed with ease, like tying shoes and writing, were suddenly unfamiliar.

Fortunately, she didn't have to figure out a new approach alone. One task at a time, her occupational therapy team helped her to adapt.

"They always had these really creative solutions," Sydney said.

With their support, Sydney learned how to write with her left hand and navigate daily life in new ways. What started as small victories became a growing belief in what she could accomplish.

A Community of Supporters

As Sydney grew, Shriners Children’s gave her something more than medical care: a community.

Sydney discovered an even stronger sense of belonging at ShrineABILITY Camp, a Shriners Children's St. Louis camp for children with hand and upper limb differences. She also built meaningful connections at Un-Limb-ited Camp through Shriners Children’s Salt Lake City, where participants hit the ski slopes.

At camp, for the first time, Sydney wasn't the only child in the room with a limb difference. She was simply another kid joining the adventure.

"I think it's really hard to find a sense of community and fully being able to be yourself without thinking about your disability," Sydney said. "At camp, I really never thought about the fact that we were all physically disabled."

Giving Back to the Next Generation

Years later, Sydney found herself returning to Shriners Children's – not as a patient, but as a mentor.

Now living in Minnesota, she volunteered with Shriners Children's Twin Cities at two summer camp programs, giving other children the encouragement and connection she received as a child.

At Camp Achieve, a day camp for children with limb differences, Sydney supported participants during zoo visits, rock climbing and other adventures. She also volunteered at Camp Achieve Adventure, an overnight camp in South Dakota serving children with a variety of medical conditions, where campers experienced horseback riding, lake activities and time outdoors.

"Being a support to them is super-important to me because I want them to know that it's okay," she said. "I struggled a lot going through trauma, and a lot of these kids had similar experiences. Just having someone to talk to who can relate, I wanted to be that person."

She’s helping other children discover what she learned herself: there is strength in finding your own way forward, and no child has to do it alone.