Summer Camps for Children of Parents with Breast Cancer
Children of parents with breast cancer have such special, fragile needs. They carry a weight on their shoulders that no child should have to bear. They are anxious, sad, frightened … fearful they’ll suffer a loss, worried their parent will feel pain, scared they won’t be taken care of. Kids in families touched by cancer need a fun summer experience way more than the kid next door.
But unless the kid in the next bunk also has a parent with cancer, camp might not be what the doctor ordered. That’s what makes camps with professionals trained to meet their delicate needs and kids who have shared experiences all the more appealing. And fortunately, there are camps with their specific and particular needs in mind.
So where do you start your research?
Check out Kids Konnected camps (formerly Komen Kids); they “provide an atmosphere that encourages children to have fun, smile and be a kid! We also provide an environment that allows kids to share their feelings with other peers and adults who understand what they are dealing with.” The camps run for kids 7-13 and 14-18. Kids Konnected has model programs throughout the nation.
Also, take a look at Camp Kesem, a college student run, one-week sleep away camps at a college for kids ages 6-13. Since 2000, it has been the mission of Camp Kesem:
- To provide kids whose parents have or have had cancer with a summer camp experience that gives them a chance to be kids
- To allow college students to channel their passion for making a difference, while developing critical leadership skills for long term social impact
Here’s a schedule of Camp Keseem dates and locations for the rest of the summer.
Camp Lightheart is a free sleepover camp in Rhinebeck, New York for kids from 8-15 who have a parent with breast cancer.
Finally, perhaps your child already suffered a loss … and you’re reading this from a caregiver perspective, comforting a child who lost a parent to breast cancer. Well, for you there’s Camp Comfort Zone: “a fun and safe place for grieving children” ages 7-17 across the country who have experienced the death of a loved one. Camp Comfort is held primarily in Richmond, Virginia with a satellite program in New York/New Jersey area. The program is free and some travel scholarships are available.
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