Oxygen Tubes and Zip Lines: Redefining Possibilities at Camp

Campfire Chat with Dr. Laura Blaisdell, Medical Director for SeriousFun Children’s Network. Join us Around the Campfire for a monthly sampling of inspiration, impact, camp-inspired recipes, activities and crafts, and more!

As a pediatrician, I’ve seen my fair share of medical marvels. But nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed last spring at The Painted Turtle, the SeriousFun camp in California.

It was a family weekend for children with pulmonary hypertension, a condition that often confines kids to a world of careful monitoring and oxygen tubes. But here, at this camp, I saw these same children laughing, running, and yes, even zip-lining.

Picture this: a child, tethered to the longest oxygen tube I’ve ever seen, soaring down a zip line. On the ground, a respiratory therapist is sprinting alongside, holding the oxygen tank, with 20 feet of tubing trailing behind.

It’s a scene that defies everything we typically associate with severe medical conditions.

The sheer audacity of it all struck me. These are children we often view as incredibly fragile, their day-to-day existence a delicate balance. Yet here they were, at altitude no less, having the time of their lives.

What made this possible? An incredible network of support and preparation.

From ensuring the kids had a hearty breakfast to sourcing oxygen tubing long enough for a zip line ride, every detail was meticulously planned.

And let’s not forget the collaboration with top-tier medical institutions like Stanford and UCSF. Their pulmonary hypertension clinics didn’t just give their blessing — they actively worked to make this camp experience happen.

But wait, there’s more. The child on the zip line? Spanish-speaking. The camp had interpreters on hand, making sure language wasn’t a barrier to this life-changing experience. In that moment, I saw not just medical care, but true inclusivity in action.

And just when I thought my heart couldn’t be more full, I turned to see a renowned pediatric cardiologist — the kind you’d expect to see in a stuffy conference room — standing there in shorts, striped tube socks pulled up to his knees, and a silly bucket hat, cheering the kids on with unbridled enthusiasm.

It was layer upon layer of beautiful absurdity. At its core were children facing serious health challenges, but surrounding them was this incredible bubble of joy, inclusivity, and possibility.

In that moment, watching a child laugh as they zoomed down a zip line, oxygen tube and all, I knew we were doing something truly special.

We weren’t just providing medical care or a fun day out. We were showing these kids — and their families — that the impossible could become possible. That life, even with its challenges, could still be full of laughter and adventure.

This is why I do what I do. This is the magic of camp. And this is what happens when we dare to dream big for every child, regardless of their medical condition or background.

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