American Cancer Society Offers Free Summer Camp for Young Cancer Survivors

The following was submitted by Amanda Bosherz/American Cancer Society.

With warmer weather on the horizon, many children look forward to the school year ending, and a trip to summer camp for a week of outdoor activities and fun with new friends. However, for children with cancer, health issues may make the experience of a week at camp seem impossible.

“The American Cancer Society offers a camping program specifically geared toward accommodating the needs of children who are being treated for cancer, or who are in remission from cancer,” said Kathleen Wilson, program manager for the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division. “Our camping program provides the opportunity for these children to simply have fun and enjoy the experience of exercise, recreation and companionship through activities paced to meet the needs of a young cancer patient.”

Cancer survivors between 4 and 15 years of age are invited to take part in one of two camping programs offered free of charge by the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division. Young Camper’s Day is a one day program offered to children 4 to 6 years old and will be held on Sunday, June 17 at a YMCA camp just outside of Jackson, MI.

Camp Catch-A-Rainbow is a week-long summer camping experience, held June 17-22, for children between the ages of 7 and 15. Both the Young Camper’s Day and Camp Catch-A-Rainbow programs are held at the YMCA Storer Camps near Jackson, Mich., where children have access to activities such as swimming, horseback riding, archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, and much more.

Health care professionals are available at the camp 24 hours a day, so most medical treatments, with the exception of radiation therapy, can be done onsite or at a nearby cancer center.

“The care and commitment of our volunteer medical professionals enable us to offer this unique camping experience, while ensuring the wellness of all of our campers who have unique health needs,” said Wilson.

With a physician’s approval, registration applications for young cancer patients and survivors from Indiana and Michigan are being accepted through May 28 for the Young Camper’s Day and Camp Catch-A-Rainbow. Camper application forms can be obtained by calling 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org/camprainbow.

Camp Catch-A-Rainbow is accredited by the American Camping Association and is licensed through the state of Michigan. The American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, serving Indiana and Michigan, funds Young Camper’s Day and Camp Catch-A-Rainbow. The camping program is just one of the many ways the American Cancer Society is able to save lives and create more birthdays by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

Additional medical and non-medical volunteers, especially male volunteers, are currently needed to assist onsite at Young Camper’s Day and Camp Catch-A-Rainbow. For more information about volunteer opportunities, or to access the summer camping programs volunteer application, please contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org/camprainbow.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.

As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.