Miracle Monday: Teen hopes to enjoy summer camp, high school

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - One local teen is getting ready to head to summer camp after not being able to because of sickle cell disease.

On this Miracle Monday, we introduce you to 13-year-old Kaleigh Lambert who has been receiving treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia since she was a baby.

Her biggest hope now is to stay out of the hospital so she can enjoy camp and her freshman year.

Kaleigh will be 14 years old this month and summer camp and high school are top of mind.

“I’m looking forward to having fun, trying new things because I heard high school has a bunch of opportunities and making a bunch more friends,” said Kaleigh.

What you wouldn’t know if you met her is that she has sickle cell disease. It’s something her mom found out early on.

“I think my biggest thing was research,” said Dawn Jones, Kaleigh’s mom. “Just try to find out as much information as I possibly could to try to be that advocate for her to make sure things go as smoothly as possible with what I could do.”

Sickle cell disease affects red blood cells which carry oxygen to all parts of the body. The disease also causes a shortage of the cells. Kaleigh has experienced a lot of pain and discomfort over the years because of this.

“Now that she’s older, it’s her limbs, it’s her arms, legs, back. She will get headaches, stomach aches, which are usually initial signs that she’s going into crisis, and now that she’s older it will usually be her fingertips and toes,” said Jones.

Last year was a challenge with Kaleigh coming to the hospital at least once a month. The longest stay was 21 days.

She even had to have about five blood transfusions.

“You miss a bunch of schools,” said Kaleigh. “I miss my friends. I get lonely most of the time especially if I’m in the hospital. I get very sad and depressed. It’s just a hard process being sick all the time.”

She says the staff at the hospital has helped her get through these tough times, especially the Child Life Team.

“They definitely help you get through it with the bubbles, drawings, and making bracelets,” said Kaleigh. “It helped a lot, but I do get lonely when I get here, but when people come and visit me it does cheer me up.”

She now has her eyes set on summer camp, which is being offered to all kids with sickle cell disease through the children’s hospital.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, hearing their stories, and being able to relate to somebody with the same thing going on as me,” said Kaleigh.

Although she is doing great right now, she has learned a lot through all of her lows and hopes other kids will overcome them too.

“Talk out your feelings a lot, let people know maybe. Talk to your friends a lot, text them, call them. Find things to do to distract yourself, and pray. Find things that make you happy so you can take your mind off of the pain,” said Kaleigh.

For other parents, Dawn says to always be an advocate for your child. She says she’s thankful for all around them and at school.

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