About Camp Ailihpomeh
Established in 1979
In 1979 Dr. Keith Hoots, from the Gulf States Hemophilia Clinic in Houston Texas, organized the first week-long summer camp in Texas dedicated to young men with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. The 1979 inaugural camp was held in La Grange Texas at Camp Lutherhill with thirty-five campers attending that first year. After moving several times, Camp Ailihpomeh found a permanent home in 1991 at Camp John Marc in Meridian Texas. Camp Ailihpomeh was the first camp for children with special needs in Texas. Today, multiple hemophilia clinics (Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston and San Antonio) have joined forces and Camp Ailihpomeh has continued to grow with about 140 boys attending.
Our Mission
The mission of Camp Ailihpomeh (Hemophilia spelled backwards) is to serve the needs of boys from age seven to seventeen with bleeding disorders, providing a camping experience for a group of children who have traditionally been excluded from participating in other summer camp programs. The experience of camping with other children in a natural outdoor setting strengthens the child’s ability to cope with the daily physical and emotional challenges of a disability and/or chronic illness.
Our Goal
The goals of Camp Ailihpomeh are to educate children about their bleeding disorder and its management, to provide a rare opportunity for these chronically ill children to come together as a group and share their challenges and triumphs, and to build a strong foundation through the relationships made while at camp.
Our Vision
The vision of Camp Ailihpomeh is to be a place where boys throughout Texas meet and build strong relationships with other boys with bleeding disorders creating an additional support structure to provide a foundation for children living with this lifelong chronic illness.