The Ravens welcomed kids from Camp Open Arms to Sunday's practice.
To other kids, these campers may seem a little different, but when they're at camp, they're the norm.
Open Arms is a week long camp based in Monkton. It's for children with limb differences, including brachial plexus birth palsy, which affects one or two of every 1,000 babies, and situations where children are missing all or part of a hand or arm, or their limb is reduced in size.
Before heading for camp on August 13, the kids had the opportunity to watch Sunday's Ravens practice. Players met with campers and signed autographs.
The camp's founder is Dr. Joshua Azbug, a University of Maryland orthopedic surgeon, specializing in treating children with upper extremity conditions. He says the students can look to the NFL to see that even though they're different, they're capable of trying new things; "Shaquem Griffin, NFL Player missing a hand, was the first NFL player to miss a hand and our camp is for children just like that, that have some kind of limb difference."
Camp Open Arms is free and open to everyone. Thus far 35 kids from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania have signed up.
The campers will get to try ropes and obstacle courses, hiking, water balloon fights, and arts and crafts. They'll also learn how to answer questions from other kids who are curious about their condition and how they can better cope and overcome challenges.
