The Brandenburg Family
Great Wolf Lodge * XP Siblings * Sky & Kage
helping the most Selfless parents create a weekend their family wont ever forget
Charlotte and Gary Brandenburg have dedicated their lives to caring for others, particularly children in the foster care system. Over the past 11 years, they’ve opened their hearts and home to countless foster children, while raising children of their own. Gary, a former foster child himself, and Charlotte ultimately adopted Skylar and Kagen — biological siblings who both live with a rare and life-altering condition: Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP).
This rare disorder makes any exposure to ultraviolet radiation — even for a moment — potentially life-threatening.
Skylar has faced more medical challenges than most people experience in a lifetime, including six heart surgeries, lung disease, seizures, and multiple forms of skin cancer.
Her younger brother Kagen, who has cerebral palsy and a history of seizures, shares the same XP diagnosis. Together, they’ve learned to navigate the world with strength and courage — wrapped in denim, gloves, UV face shields, and strict routines to avoid sunlight.
To celebrate their resilience, Shadow Jumpers surprised the Brandenburgs with an all-expenses-paid, indoor vacation.
The family’s weekend at Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio wasn’t just a vacation — it was a joyful reset, a rare and radiant few days where Skylar and Kagen could simply be kids without fear of the sun. Shadow Jumpers made sure every moment was sun-safe and memory-packed.
Before the trip even began, Skylar and Kagen received Shadow Jumpers’ legendary "kickoff package" — a special delivery filled with toys, surprises, and one magical message: they were going on a family adventure to Great Wolf Lodge, one of the few places where everything is indoors, XP friendly and anything is possible.
"A sun-safe weekend may seem small, but for XP families, it’s a world of freedom."
Once they arrived, the family checked into the Deluxe Wolf Den Suite, one of the resort’s most playful and comfortable family accommodations. Designed with imagination and comfort in mind.
From there, the weekend turned into one continuous celebration of safe, indoor adventure.
On Friday, the Brandenburgs kicked things off with a full day in their private cabana next to the indoor water park. Fully enclosed and UV-protected, the park gave Skylar and Kagen the chance to swim, splash, and play without any of their usual gear — no hats, no gloves, just pure joy.
Throughout the weekend, the fun never slowed. The family played arcade games, bowled at the indoor mini alley, tackled a glow-in-the-dark mini golf course, explored the resort’s MagiQuest scavenger hunt adventure, and even got to build their own stuffed animals at the on-site Build-A-Bear Workshop. When it was time for a treat, they visited the Candy Company, indulged in scoops from the Bear Paw Ice Cream Shop, and grabbed family meals in the cozy dining spaces.
Every inch of Great Wolf Lodge was built for fun — and, more importantly, it was entirely sun-proof.
For Skylar and Kagen, this wasn’t just a weekend away. It was a weekend off from worrying about the UV rays. It was walking through a building with no need to scan for danger. It was eating snacks, playing games, and laughing loudly without a single moment lost to sun anxiety.
And for Charlotte and Gary, it was watching their kids enjoy a rare kind of freedom — one they work so hard every day to make possible.
At Shadow Jumpers, that’s what we fight for. Not just protection but possibility. And we’re honored to help give that to families like the Brandenburgs, one magical weekend at a time.
Shadow Jumpers would like to give a special thanks to the ONE CHURCH and their fundraising efforts that went into assisting with the cost of the Brandenburg Family’s trip.
Located in Hollywood, California, their KIDZ CHURCH program put together a lemonade stand for Shadow Jumpers that raised over $2,300.
