When Parents Are Diagnosed With Cancer, Kids Find Hope at Camp Kesem

A parent’s cancer diagnosis can rock a child’s world. It’s confusing and frightening and upsetting. Yet, she puts on a brave face and bottles up her distress to stay strong for her family and to take on the day-to-day struggles of growing up too fast.

However, when there’s a hand to hold and a shoulder to cry on, a child feels free to release her frustration and fear in a healthy way.

Emily Hill, currently a nursing student at Saint Louis University, was a high school freshman in Chicago when her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer. With their lives turned upside down, Emily and her younger sister took a week off from the stress thanks to Camp Kesem at Northwestern University, the local chapter of a free, national camp for children affected by a parent’s cancer.

In between the swimming and crafts and bonfires, Hill was able to connect with other children who shared her worries and allowed her to open up about her experiences.

“I didn’t know what to expect from Camp, but once I got there, I met really good friends who could understand what I was going through, who made it safe to talk about the cancer. Camp Kesem gave me the break I needed – I could be happy and forget about the pain for a while. We all created a bond and have each other to fall back on at any time.”

Moved by her first experience, Hill continued at Camp Kesem both as a camper and counselor-in-training. But when she moved to St. Louis to attend SLU, she found the nearest Camp was in Columbia, Mo. – and it was already at capacity.

That’s when Hill decided to take action and rally her fellow students to make a difference in the lives of children right here in St. Louis.

Expanding a national program locally

Since 2000, Camp Kesem has offered children a life-long, peer-support network that supports them during and after a parent’s battle with cancer. What started with students at Stanford University has grown to 54 chapters at universities across the U.S.

Each Camp Kesem and its key summer camp program is developed and organized entirely by college students with oversight from the national office. The student committees handle everything from activity planning to volunteer coordination to fundraising in order to get each local Camp chapter off the ground.  This year’s Camp Kesem SLU, located at Camp Jo-Ota in Clarence, Mo. will be the first in the region and is run by 25 student volunteers.

Hill, who serves as volunteer coordinator, knew Camp Kesem was crucial for the St. Louis community. “St. Louis is one of the leading cities for cancer treatment with SLU Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center, Mercy Cancer Services. We knew there needed to be a support system here for the kids of cancer patients undergoing treatment.”

Funded in part with a Community Impact Grant from the LIVESTRONG Foundation, the SLU group will open the gates to Camp Kesem in St. Louis for the first time this summer, offering a safe and supportive environment where campers can gain strength from their peers. In addition, the SLU counselors build the professional and leadership skills needed to impact in the lives of the children they counsel today and achieve the incredible once they enter the workforce after college.

According to Mai-Lan Pham, Marketing Manager for Camp Kesem, the summer camp is the child’s chance to put the “adult-sized problems” that accompany a parent’s diagnosis behind them for a few days.

During Camp, kids will be exposed to all of the traditional summertime activities, including sports, arts and crafts, talent shows, Olympics-style games, and dances. But one special touch – an empowerment ceremony acknowledges the brave journey their families are battling and the hope that comes from having others to lean on.

“The summer camp experience is designed so campers can have all the fun other kids have,” said Pham. “We don’t necessarily touch on therapy or cancer-related topics but we invite the kids to open up in very subtle ways – through our empowerment ceremony, cabin chats where we talk about the day’s highs and lows, and group discussions where they can share their experiences without feeling forced. The days are about having fun and being a kid.”

This year’s inaugural Camp in St. Louis will welcome 30 campers between the ages of six and 16. The Camp, which is 100 percent funded by individuals, foundations and corporations, is free to all children who qualify. Currently, the Camp is still accepting applications. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.campkesem.org/saintlouis or call Casey Carroll, Camp Kesem SLU Co-Director, at 920-843-2973.

Children who attend Camp Kesem will continue to have a nationwide network they can turn to after the last day of camp, providing the support they need to take on a disease that affects the entire family, not just the patient.

“We want them to walk away with a new family of support from fellow peers and counselors,” explained Pham. “It’s really something that continues year-round, including reunions and support opportunities for families. We want them to have a really fun summer and come out of it with new friends to go to for support, knowing they’re not in this alone. That there’s always someone who understands the problems and emotions they’re facing.”

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