From Camper to Counselor: Eliseo’s Journey with a Bleeding Disorder
Eliseo, a 25-year-old from Waynesboro, GA, has turned his challenging experiences with a severe bleeding disorder into a source of inspiration and support for others. Growing up, Eliseo attended Camp Wannaklot, the only camp in Georgia that offers children with hemophilia or other bleeding disorders the chance to enjoy a traditional camp experience. It was a place where he felt a rare sense of belonging. “In normal day-to-day life, you don’t usually meet many people with a bleeding disorder or who understand how you feel,” he recalls. “At camp, you are surrounded by others with bleeding disorders who share the same experiences, so I felt welcomed and like I belonged there.” His favorite activity was kayaking on the camp’s beautiful lake, a memory he cherishes.
Eliseo’s journey with a bleeding disorder began early. With a family history of the disorder, doctors tested his mother when she was pregnant with him. At 11, he learned to self-infuse at camp, a skill that has empowered him to manage his health independently and reduce his severe bleeds and hospital visits.
This year marked Eliseo’s first-time volunteering as a camp counselor, a role he found incredibly rewarding. Eliseo has a younger family member with hemophilia and has seen firsthand how important it is to be a role model for younger generations with hemophilia and empower them to take charge of their health.
Now, Eliseo uses outreach nursing and pharmacy services to maintain his health. When he was unable to get his prescription covered by insurance, HoG stepped in to help and ensure he could still get the medicine he needed. Living with a bleeding disorder can be very costly, so HoG’s social services program provided financial assistance for groceries to make sure he could afford his medication when he was unable to walk from severe bleeds and go to work.
As an adult, Eliseo stays connected to the bleeding disorder community by attending client events such as community dinners. At HoG, we know it is important for people in the bleeding disorder community to always have a place where they feel like they belong and can connect with others. Eliseo also prioritizes attending or supporting fundraising events such as Trot to Clot, which benefits youth and family programming including Camp Wannaklot, to give back to HoG and the community that has given so much to him. He is paying the blessing forward.
If you would like to volunteer as a camp counselor like Eliseo and help campers make new friends, learn about their bleeding disorders, and share new experiences, you can visit our website to learn more and apply online today.
*Eliseo is pictured on the left with other team leaders and staff at the 2025 Teen Retreat in the image above.