Building community of young adults with CGD

Transitioning into adulthood is both exciting and overwhelming, often marked by changes and challenges. It is a time of discovering ownership, exploring educational and career paths, forming relationships, traveling, and taking responsibility for your healthcare. But living with a chronic condition, such as Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD), adds an additional dimension to the experience. Next Step offers teens and young adults living with rare genetic/chronic disorders an opportunity to build community, share resources, and have fun with their annual Campferences. They are reserving a few spots for young adults living with CGD. A Next Step Campference is what you get if you mash up summer camp and a conference: all the fun and all the knowledge without anyone droning at you from the front of a meeting room for hours.

Historically, Campferences are overnight programs of 3 nights and 4 days created by and for young people living with similar diagnoses. Over shared stories, music, laughter and hard-won knowledge from the trenches, participants have the opportunity to form deep and meaningful connections with other participants, then head back to the “real world” knowing you are part of a community that has your back. In light of current circumstances, Next Step has redesigned their summer Campference to be 100% virtual. That’s right, you can experience a Campference in the comfort of your own home with an internet connection! For more information on this opportunity visit nextstepnet.org/campference. If you have questions please don't hesitate to reach out to Next Step directly at quita@nextstepnet.org.