Explore How the True Grit Camp Helps Teens With Spinal Cord Injuries at Rutgers University-Camden
Addressing the Gap in Spinal Cord Injury Care for Young Adults
Navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood is challenging for any teenager, but for young people with spinal cord injuries, the process involves significant physical, emotional, and logistical hurdles. Historically, the healthcare system has focused primarily on acute medical rehabilitation, often leaving a void when it comes to teaching the practical life skills required for independent living. In the USA, specialized programs that bridge this gap are incredibly rare.
According to the National Spinal Cord Statistical Center, the average age at the time of injury has steadily increased over the decades, rising from 29 in the 1970s to approximately 44 since 2015. Because of this demographic shift, much of the existing support infrastructure is tailored to older adults who may already have established careers, marriages, or families. However, individuals between the ages of 16 and 21 account for roughly 20 percent of the population living with spinal cord injuries. For this younger demographic, the challenges are distinctly different. They are actively forming their identities and figuring out how to navigate higher education, the workforce, and independent living—all while managing a severe physical disability.
Recognizing this critical gap in care, Rutgers School of Health Professions partnered with Children’s Specialized Hospital—part of the Children’s Health Network of RWJBarnabas Health—to develop a targeted solution. The result is the True Grit camp, a first-of-its-kind residential program designed specifically to equip young adults with the tools they need to thrive. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about Rutgers health programs and initiatives.
What to Expect at the True Grit Camp in the USA
Unlike traditional medical camps that focus solely on physical therapy or day-treatment protocols, the True Grit camp immerses participants in a realistic college environment. Hosted on the Livingston campus in Piscataway, New Jersey, the program requires participants to live in dormitories for one week. This residential aspect is a fundamental component of the curriculum, as it forces campers to practice independent living skills in a supportive yet real-world setting.
Building Independent Living Skills
The curriculum goes far beyond basic medical care. Campers receive hands-on training in navigating college campuses, managing personal care routines without immediate family assistance, and developing the organizational skills required for higher education. They also focus on workforce readiness and relationship building. By placing teens in a college dorm setting, the camp simulates the exact environment they will encounter if they choose to pursue higher education, effectively demystifying the experience and building their confidence.
Fostering Peer Support and Community
One of the most profound impacts of the camp is the sense of community it fosters. Teens with spinal cord injuries often feel isolated in their home communities, especially if they are the only ones in their school or town using a wheelchair. At True Grit, they are surrounded by peers who share their lived experiences. They see older peer mentors who are successfully driving, attending college, and working. This peer-to-peer modeling is often more effective than clinical instruction alone, as it provides tangible proof of what is possible.
Training the Next Generation of Rehabilitation Professionals
The benefits of the True Grit camp extend far beyond the teenage participants; it also serves as a vital training ground for future healthcare professionals. There is a documented, nationwide shortage of expert clinicians specializing in spinal cord injury care. By integrating Rutgers students from multiple schools and programs into the camp’s staffing model, the organizers are actively combating this shortage.
Rutgers students work alongside volunteer clinicians from the tri-state area and staff members from Children’s Specialized Hospital. This experiential learning opportunity shifts the students’ perspective from a purely clinical lens to a community-based one. They learn that occupational therapy and rehabilitation extend well beyond the hospital walls—they are about preparing patients for real life in the real world.
For example, Corrine Calvanico, a Rutgers alumna who received her occupational therapy doctorate, initially planned to work in general pediatric inpatient therapy. It was her exposure to the True Grit camp during her doctoral studies that redirected her career path. She now works on the spinal cord rehab team at Children’s Specialized Hospital. Her experience highlights how the camp acts as a pipeline, drawing talented students into a specialized field that desperately needs more practitioners. Explore our related articles for further reading on rehabilitation sciences and clinical training.
Connecting Health Care Initiatives to Rutgers University-Camden and Shorelight Pathways
While the True Grit camp operates out of Rutgers’ Livingston campus, it is a prime example of the broader, system-wide commitment to health sciences and community impact found across the entire university network. Students who are passionate about occupational therapy, rehabilitation sciences, and public health can find multiple entry points into the Rutgers ecosystem.
For international students looking to join these impactful health programs in the USA, Rutgers University-Camden offers an accessible and highly supportive route through Shorelight Pathways. Shorelight Pathways provides international students with specialized academic support, English language assistance, and a structured transition into American university life. By starting their journey at Rutgers University-Camden, international students can complete their foundational coursework before transitioning into competitive health profession programs, ultimately contributing to critical initiatives like the True Grit camp.
The collaboration between Rutgers and Shorelight ensures that students from around the globe can bring diverse perspectives to complex healthcare challenges, including the long-term care and rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injuries. Submit your application today to start your academic journey in the health sciences.
Real-World Impact on Teens With Spinal Cord Injuries
The true measure of the True Grit camp’s success lies in the tangible outcomes of its participants. Consider the story of Anthony Guzman, who sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 13. Before attending the camp, Anthony had not left his home by himself for years and relied entirely on his mother for everyday routines. His family was understandably anxious about his future and his ability to function independently.
After participating in the program, Anthony’s trajectory shifted dramatically. He gained the confidence to get his driver’s license, secured a job at a movie theater near his home in Massachusetts, and is now preparing to attend the University of Massachusetts to major in accounting. His mother noted that he returned from the camp outgoing, self-reliant, and eager to do everything on his own. Anthony himself credits the camp with showing him what was possible, noting that seeing his peers successfully navigate college and independent life motivated him to do the same.
Since its inception in 2024 with just six participants, the camp has rapidly expanded. It grew to nine participants in its second year and recently hosted 15 young adults and five peer mentors, drawing attendees from across the country, including states like Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. The program’s ability to keep the cost to a mere $50 registration fee—thanks to expense-sharing between Rutgers and Children’s Specialized Hospital, as well as grants from private donors and nonprofits—ensures that financial barriers do not prevent teens from accessing this life-changing resource.
The Role of Occupational Therapy in Transition Planning
The creation of the True Grit camp was spearheaded by Kassandra Boyd, an occupational therapist at Children’s Specialized Hospital. Boyd recognized a recurring theme in her practice: despite receiving excellent acute clinical care, her young patients were being sent home without the community-based support necessary to actually live their lives. Standard medical care ensures a patient is safe for discharge, but it does not teach them how to dorm in a college, interview for a job, or navigate social relationships in a wheelchair.
Understanding that she needed to build a program from the ground up, Boyd returned to school to earn her doctorate in program development. Her clinical insight drove the curriculum design, ensuring that every aspect of the True Grit camp is rooted in the actual, stated needs of teens with spinal cord injuries. The camp focuses on the transition planning that is so often missing from standard rehabilitation, filling a void that no other program in the nation currently addresses.
Take the Next Step in Your Health Profession Journey
Programs like the True Grit camp highlight the critical need for compassionate, well-trained rehabilitation professionals who understand the holistic needs of individuals with spinal cord injuries. Whether you are a prospective student looking to make a tangible difference in patient outcomes, or an international student seeking to study advanced rehabilitation practices in the USA, engaging with Rutgers’ health science programs provides a strong foundation.
The partnership between clinical practice and academic training creates a unique environment where students do not just learn from textbooks—they learn from active, community-integrated programs. As the True Grit camp continues to grow and expand its reach, it will undoubtedly serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives across the country, proving that with the right support, young adults with spinal cord injuries can lead rich, independent, and fulfilling lives. Have questions? Write to us to learn how you can get involved in rehabilitation sciences.
