Monday Summit Spotlight

We woke up on Monday morning full of excitement for the first full day of BITSS fun ahead! Our day began with a nourishing breakfast followed by an anxiety workshop led by Mary Bennett, a fabulous social worker from the pediatric endocrinology department at Mass General Hospital. While our support circles can offer empathy and understanding, only other young people with Turner syndrome truly understand our experiences. This workshop provided an incredibly healing and powerful start to our week, equipping campers with grounding techniques to help them fully embrace and enjoy the world around them.

After our anxiety workshop, we jumped into Zumba with our amazing returning instructor Carla—a calm yet radiant force of nature and wonderful role model for our campers. Zumba remains a beloved BITSS tradition, consistently ranked as a favorite activity year after year. We're committed to continuing this tradition as it offers a fantastic life skill for staying healthy and active while having loads of fun!

With our energy spent on dancing, we happily refueled with lunch before breaking into groups for insightful conversations about transitions to high school and college. Campers had the opportunity to speak with older campers and BITSS alumni who shared their experiences navigating these milestones while managing Turner syndrome. Transitions can certainly provoke anxiety, but everyone appreciated hearing from our group discussion leaders—often wise beyond their years—who offered invaluable advice on staying authentic while reassuring campers they'll excel in whatever comes next.

The afternoon continued with our "Summit Speaks" sessions, providing spaces to seek and offer guidance from the unique perspective of having Turner syndrome. This is often when new campers, meeting others with Turner syndrome for the first time, feel validated in their feelings and can finally express themselves surrounded by the love and support of people who truly understand.

After these meaningful conversations, we took a refreshing walk to Boston Common across the street for lawn games. Our spirits soared as we enjoyed the various activities our counselors had prepared, and simply enjoying each others’ company. Once we exhausted ourselves with outdoor fun, we gathered for dinner before showcasing our musical talents at BITSS Got Talent (aka Karaoke Night).

The streets of Boston may never be the same after our enthusiastic performances—local tour guides are now adding "mysterious angelic voices from the Piano row building" to their haunted Boston walking tours!

After singing our hearts out, it was time for our usual "Meds and Beds" routine. Our Mentors made sure everyone settled down for the night, and everyone hummed themselves to sleep..