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This article is adapted from Episode 181 of the Fibromyalgia Podcast® for readers of The Fibro Compass℠. The episode is part of Podcasthon, a global podcast initiative highlighting nonprofit organizations making a difference. In this conversation, we spotlight Pediatric Pain Warriors, a program of the US Pain Foundation supporting children and families living with chronic pain. Learn how you can donate to support their work here.
Many children living with chronic pain grow up believing they are the only one.
Their symptoms may be invisible. Their limitations may be misunderstood.
In many cases, they spend years trying to explain experiences that even adults struggle to understand.
For families navigating pediatric fibromyalgia or other chronic pain conditions, the isolation can be just as difficult as the symptoms themselves.
That’s why programs like Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp matter.
Supporting Kids Living with Chronic Pain
Pediatric Pain Warriors is a program of the US Pain Foundation dedicated to supporting children and teens living with chronic pain conditions, along with their families.
Through education, advocacy, and community programs, Pediatric Pain Warriors helps families navigate the medical system, connect with others who understand their experience, and build hope for the future.
One of the program’s most meaningful initiatives is Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp, an annual event where families from across the country gather together for a week of connection, support, and fun.
For many children, it’s the first time they have ever met another kid who truly understands what living with chronic pain is like.
Ann and Lily’s Story
Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® Ann Garner knows this experience firsthand.
Ann has lived with fibromyalgia for more than 25 years. She is also a single mom raising a teenager, Lily, who lives with fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and other chronic health conditions.
Like many families facing pediatric chronic illness, their journey included years of uncertainty, advocacy, and learning to navigate a world that often doesn’t understand invisible conditions.
When Ann and Lily attended Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp, they discovered something powerful: a community of families who truly understood their experience.
Ann Garner and her daughter Lily at Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp.
“It’s very isolating.
You don’t know anybody else who is going through the same journey.”
— Ann Garner
What Happens at Family Camp
Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp looks like a typical summer camp on the surface.
There are outdoor activities, laughter, and kids making new friends.
But the experience goes much deeper than that.
When Ann arrived at camp and saw Lily connecting with other kids living with chronic pain, the moment was overwhelming.
“I cried. Here’s my kid — and she’s found friends like her.”
— Ann Garner
Children participate in activities like adaptive rock climbing, zip-lining, swimming, and crafts — all designed to be accessible for kids living with chronic pain.
Parents also have opportunities to connect with other families navigating similar challenges, sharing experiences and learning from one another.
But the most important part of the experience isn’t the activities.
It’s the sense of belonging.
For many kids, camp is the first place where needing extra rest, using mobility aids, or managing symptoms isn’t something that makes them different.
It’s simply part of the shared experience.
Discovering That They’re Not Alone
One of the most powerful aspects of the camp experience is the opportunity for children to meet others who are living full lives while managing chronic pain.
Older teens and young adults often serve as mentors, showing younger kids that a meaningful future is still possible.
For many families, that moment — seeing their child connect with someone who understands — can be life-changing.
“Before camp, Lily didn’t have much hope for the future,” Ann explains. “Then she met older kids who were going to college and living their lives.”
Sometimes hope doesn’t come from a new treatment.
Sometimes it comes from realizing that you’re not alone.
Why Community Matters
Living with chronic pain can be isolating at any age. For children, that isolation can shape how they see themselves and their future.
Programs like Pediatric Pain Warriors help change that story.
They give children a chance to build friendships, develop confidence, and see examples of resilience in others who share their experience.
For parents, the connections formed at camp can be just as meaningful.
Families gain not only support, but also practical knowledge and encouragement from people who truly understand the journey.
“The big word is community. You realize there are other families out there who understand.”
— Ann Garner
Action Steps — Supporting Pediatric Pain Warriors
The Pediatric Pain Warriors Family Camp attended by Ann and Lily is completely free for families. That means the program relies on donations and community support to make experiences like this possible.
If you’d like to help support Pediatric Pain Warriors, you can donate through the US Pain Foundation.
When donating, select “Pediatric” in the Gift Type dropdown menu so your gift supports the Pediatric Pain Warriors program.
Donate here:
https://uspainfoundation.org/donate/
Learn more about Pediatric Pain Warriors:
https://uspainfoundation.org/pediatricpainwarriors/
Photo Credits
- All images courtesy of Ann Garner
About Tami Stackelhouse
Tami Stackelhouse is an award-winning author, founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute (IFCI), and one of the most influential voices in fibromyalgia today, having helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide rethink what is possible with fibromyalgia. Through her signature Fibromyalgia Wellness Framework℠, Tami is helping transform the way fibromyalgia is understood, supported, and lived — moving people beyond symptom management and into a future they once believed was out of reach.
Photo by Emily Broadbent
