Flight Assistance Helps Child with Chronic Pain Attend Camp

July 16, 2022
A girl with chronic pain attended Morgan's Wonderland Camp, thanks to flight assistance from Mercy Medical Angels..

No Cure for Chronic Pain

Dorisa is an 11-year-old girl who lives in Burlington, NC. She suffers from Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome, or AMPS. AMPS is a rare condition, with less than 200,000 cases per year. It causes chronic pain throughout the whole body and sometimes contributes to other health problems.


“There has been little research done on her condition,” said Dorisa’s parents, “so there is no cure for her.”



As one can imagine, Dorisa has not had a healthy childhood. She has missed out on many experiences because of chronic pain. Her parents wanted her to have fun and not worry about her medical challenges – if only for a while.

A Shot at Summer... Almost 1,200 Miles Away

Dorisa’s parents found out about a special summer camp called Morgan’s Wonderland Camp. This camp is designed to be inclusive for anyone who wants to attend, regardless of physical or mental ability. The camp was having a family weekend. Dorisa’s parents felt this was the perfect shot at a fun summer.


However, there was one problem, and it was a big one. The camp was in San Antonio – almost 1,200 miles away from Dorisa’s home. Round-trip airfare would be too expensive. A long drive wasn’t cost-effective either; not to mention, it would make the chronic pain worse.



How was Dorisa supposed to attend camp?

High-Flying Hope

There are times when hope begins to run out, and prayers seem to be the last option. Dorisa’s prayers were answered by a different kind of angels – Mercy Medical Angels! Through a partnership with the Hogan Foundation, Mercy Medical Angels provided flight assistance for Dorisa and her parents.


“We don’t live in an area where we could fly with you directly,” said Dorisa’s parents. "However, you made it possible for us to go on a commercial flight.”


Dorisa and her parents were able to attend the family weekend at Morgan’s Wonderland Camp. The experience was unforgettable. More importantly, going to camp increased Dorisa’s quality of life and helped her maintain overall wellness.

"We are Forever Grateful..."

 Now, Dorisa and her parents are back home. Dorisa still talks about how much fun she had at Morgan’s Wonderland Camp. They credit Mercy Medial Angels and the Hogan Foundation with making it all possible.



“We are forever grateful for the opportunities that we were able to have,” said Dorisa’s parents, “all thanks to your generosity.”


“We will never be able to thank you enough!”

Share this story with others.

Share your thoughts about this story.

Read More Patient Stories

By Stephanie . October 16, 2025
Read a letter from a Veteran who attended an American Warrior Association (AWA) retreat, thanks to charitable air travel assistance from Mercy Medical Angels.
By Stephanie . October 14, 2025
Read how a young woman is battling cancer for the fourth time, and how the volunteer pilots are helping to improve her quality of life... in her own words.
By Stephanie . October 12, 2025
Read how a man with prostate cancer found charitable ground transportation assistance to treatment and feels less alone in the battle... in his own words.
By Stephanie . October 11, 2025
In Her Own Words...
By Stephanie . October 9, 2025
Read how a patient with severe kidney disease is improving his life, with charitable ground transportation assistance from Mercy Medical Angels... in his own words.
By Stephanie . October 8, 2025
Read how a man with prostate cancer is getting to the treatment he needs, thanks to Mercy Medical Angels sending him gas cards... in his own words.
By Stephanie . October 7, 2025
Read how a single mother is beating cancer with treatments at MD Anderson and gas cards from Mercy Medical Angels... in her own words.
By Stephanie . October 6, 2025
Read how a cancer patient is driving to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, with help from Mercy Medical Angels' ground transportation... in his own words.
By Stephanie . October 5, 2025
Read the story of how a cancer patient traveled out of state forf her treatment, thanks to Mercy Medical Angels' charitable flight assistance... in her own words.
By Stephanie . October 4, 2025
Read how a patient who needed multiple brain surgeries accessed the care he needed thanks to Mercy Medical Angels providing charitable flights... in his own words.