Susan Savage

At 73, Susan Savage has lived through decades of CMT in a world that rarely made space for her. Bullied, misdiagnosed, and once told she wouldn't live past 21, she spent her childhood navigating misunderstanding and exclusion. Nowhere was that more painful than at camp.

"I thought I was doing OK," Susan said. "I had friends. I was walking. But camp changed that. I was forced to do things I physically couldn't do, and when I said I couldn't, they didn't believe me. There was no understanding. Just shame."

Those experiences left lasting emotional scars. Camp wasn't a safe place. It was a place of ridicule, physical harm, and erasure.

When Susan learned about Camp Footprint, something shifted. For the first time, she saw a place built for kids like her. A place where "can't" is met with compassion. A place where kids with CMT are seen, supported, and celebrated. A place where they do not have to explain themselves because everyone already understands.

She called it a "wonderland."

"It's not just about games and activities," she said. "It's psychological. It's healing. These kids get to grow up believing in themselves."

Camp Footprint is now celebrating its tenth year. For a decade, it has given children with CMT a place to connect, grow, and just be themselves. For Susan, it represents everything childhood should be. And everything hers was not.

Though she never had children of her own, Susan often speaks of protecting "our kids" — the next generation growing up with CMT. Her decision to support Camp Footprint through her estate plans is rooted in love, shaped by pain, and grounded in a clear vision of what today's youth deserve.

"This isn't about charity," Susan said. "It's about clarity. I know what it means to need something like Camp Footprint. I want these kids to feel what I didn't."

For Susan, the choice was also practical. Camp Footprint is made possible by a network of volunteers, staff, and donors who believe in the power of community. It takes all of us to keep the doors open and the experience accessible to every child.

Thanks to Susan's commitment, Camp Footprint will continue to grow and welcome each camper into a space where they are not alone. Her legacy is more than a gift. It is a promise that every child with CMT deserves to feel safe, included, and proud of who they are.