Mason Hughes

For 10+ years, I volunteered in many aspects with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Starting in 1996, I started volunteering 1 week out of my summer to attend the West Texas MDA Summer Camp in Happy, TX. I continued volunteering every summer up until I graduated from college. I missed 2002, but returned in 2003-2006. Unfortunately, my busy schedule with my family and work hasn't allowed me attend the past 2 years.

For those who do not know what Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is, MD is a group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue. Nine diseases including Duchenne, Becker, limb girdle, congenital, facioscapulohumeral, myotonic, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss are always classified as muscular dystrophy but there are more than 100 diseases in total with similarities to muscular dystrophy. Most types of MD are multi-system disorders with manifestations in body systems including the heart, gastrointestinal and nervous systems, endocrine glands, skin, eyes and other organs. (Taken from wikipedia)

I could probably right a book about how volunteering for MDA has changed my life. Most of the kids who attend camp, keep coming back every year (as long as their health allows them to). The camp is funded through donations, various fundraising events, and through Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. The week at camp is one week out of the year where they feel 'normal' per se. They aren't looked at differently b/c the walk with braces or are confined to a wheelchair. They get to do all kinds of activities from going to the lake and riding in a boat to swimming to riding horses to participating in skits. The list of activities goes on and on. Throughout my years of volunteering, I started out as an Attendant (paired up w/one child w/MD) worked my way up to Unit Leader (oversees a cabin of Attendants and Campers) and then Senior Counselor (oversees the entire camp).

During my 10 years of volunteering and even thereafter, I've remained friends with several of the campers and keep in touch with them. You develop friendships that the 'outside world' really doesn't understand. Even though we usually only see each other once a year for a week span, you develop a bond that you can't explain. Throughout the years, we usually lose a camper at least once a year. The MD progressively gets works as they get older and grow.

Most recently, we lost Mason Hughes on Sunday. It is bittersweet though. Mason attended his last year of camp last week. (Campers are allowed to attend camp through the age of 21.) Camp ended on Friday and he passed away on Sunday. I've known Mason since he was about 8 years old. He was always the one cracking jokes and making everyone laugh. He always had a crush on someone and wasn't afraid to show it. Mason truely is an inspiration to all of us. Keeping fighting! I'm sure Mason hasn't skipped a beat and is now entertaining up in Heaven. We love you Mason!

Mason and I - Summer Camp '03

Mason and I - Summer Camp '04

Mason and I - Summer Camp '06