SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. – Children of cancer victims often lack external support because they are neither physically ill nor visibly distinct from other children. The complexity of emotions they experience can easily go without attention. It is often challenging for these children to find peers with whom they can relate, resulting in feelings of isolation and fear. Camp Kesem is a free, week-long summer camp for kids who have or have had a parent with cancer.
Camp Kesem is scheduled to take place at Camp Kostopulos from August 16-21; the media day will take place on location that Thursday from 10am to 2pm. Sigall Rave, National Director of Camp Kesem, will be making a visit to its BYU chapter on August 19th in Salt Lake City and will be able to answer media questions about Camp Kesem. Campers and counselors will also be available to share their experiences. Please contact Ryan Willis at 971.678.1755 to ensure that there will be a volunteer waiting for you when you arrive.
The Camp Kesem program model was originally founded in 2000 at Stanford University and has since gained a national presence with camps at over twenty college campuses.
Campers participate in a host of fun activities including sports, drama, arts & crafts, team-building, scavenger hunts and talent shows. Additionally, each night before bed, the campers have “Cabin Chat”, a time for them to open up and talk to their peers and counselors.
Camp Kesem-BYU is organized by Brigham Young University student volunteers under the guidance of an Advisory Committee made up of local professionals with related expertise. BYU students serve as counselors and undergo over thirty hours of extensive training prior to camp. The counselors and volunteers of Camp Kesem-BYU are responsible for raising all the funds that will contribute to camp this year.
Kesem advisor Dr. Michael Amylon, pediatric oncologist at Stanford Hospital, emphasizes the importance of an experience like Kesem. “These kids have their world knocked right out from under them, and often they have no where to turn to get help and support. Camp Kesem provides a magical place of respite and play, and a group of other kids in the same situation who understand what it's all about and can offer unique and important peer understanding and friendship.”
Additional donations are greatly appreciated and can be made on the Camp Kesem Web site (click on the donate tab and be sure to select Camp Kesem-BYU) or by sending a check to P.O. Box 7173, University Station. Provo, UT 84602.
More information on Camp Kesem BYU at Camp Kostopolus can be found at www.campkesem.org/
at 971.678.1755.
