Personal Narrative: Bladder Exstrophy Support Team

I have always been a very outgoing person. I have my parents to thank for this. They have always made me feel loved and comfortable in my own shoes. I have been extremely blessed to have my mom who started the Bladder Exstrophy Support Team when I was young so I have had a support system all throughout my life. At this camp I learned every year as new families came that not everyone is as fortunate as I have been and have not known others with the same diagnosis or experiences making them feel like they are all alone and different in the world. I have been able to be there for countless children making friends and sharing my own experiences that have helped me become more comfortable with sharing my story with people at my school and church.
I was a counselor for a summer camp at my church twice where I have been over a group of 13-year-old girls camping for a week. While there we had to go on a 4-mile hike where we also had to canoe across the lake. While on our hike I ended up sharing my Bladder Exstrophy story with the girls and how I am actually grateful to have it because of the countless experiences I have had with it. Now fast forwarding a couple years one of my girls that were in that group came up to me at school and exclaimed "KYLEE! I KNOW A LITTLE GIRL THAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME SURGERY AS YOU!" I was so excited when I came to know that there is a little girl who lives 7 minutes from my house and was just about to have the mitrofanoff surgery at the same hospital I currently go to! I have gotten to know this little 7-year-old girl, Zoey, and have been able to provide hope and comfort to her family throughout the whole process. Zoey is in homeschool and has not many friends because people made fun of her for wearing pull-ups and we have become best friends.
I was able to visit her in the hospital and we even made a bucket list of what she wants to do with her new mitrofanoff. She is also going to be a future camper at rally! Other training I have had for this roll is being able to lead the girl Bladder Exstrophy talk at the best campout the past 3 years. I answer any questions the girls have and help give advice on anything they need help with along with getting the boys discussion going. I have also been on a trip to Peru without my parents only knowing 2 other girls in my group to begin with for 17 days. This experience of being on my own and taking care of myself in another country helped me grow to know that I am going to be okay on my own. I have learned how to become independent and how to take care of myself and now go to the doctors on my own and even get my prescriptions on my own. At past years of rally I have learned from my counselors how to be confident of who I am and live my life to the fullest not letting my disability hold me back. I am forever grateful for youth rally and would be ecstatic to be able to help in any way I can to make rally the best it can
be.