Every summer I get to be part of something amazing! I get to go volunteer at a camp for cancer patients and their siblings. The point of the camp is not about cancer. It is about being an average kid. It's about not having to worry about your sister who is in chemo or not being able to swim like everyone else because infection is too risky. This camp is all about making these kids feel like kids! This camp changes lives.
Throughout the week I get to watch the kids learn how to be confident with themselves and become best friends with everyone in their cabin! I get to be a part of healing these kids! I'm 100% convinced that this camp heals these families. It gives them the hope they need to never give up on their fight against cancer. Camp shows them that they aren't alone. They have hundreds of people who want to help them! That, my friends, is healing!
The stories from camp are endless! They range from a mouse having 4 babies in a girls suit case while we were sleeping; to the various amounts of pranks that the kids loved to pull- more than half involved me getting soaked from head to toe. I was in the Arts and Crafts cabin most of the time which means I got to spend time with each kid learning something new about them every time. Those kids are hilarious. I was known as the "Justin Beiber Lover". All the kids would either mock me for it or love me for it. One Cabin of boys ended up naming their cabin the Justin Beliebers! Those kids never stopped handing out the surprises and laughs. They were all so fun! Everyone at camp seemed to be best friends. We were cracking inside jokes in a matter of hours. It was awesome!
One hour a week is set up to remember the people who we have lost. Every year I've thought of someone to plant a flower for. This year was a little closer to home. I planted a flower for Tyler. He lost his fight to cancer about 5 months ago. It was amazing to be able to feel Tyler with us all throughout camp. I believe Tyler was constantly sending us hints that he was there! Maybe that's why this years camp was just a little bit more special.....
This month there is a 5k called Millie's Princess Run! Go be a part of it! Trust me, it's worth getting up early for!
http://www.milliesprincessrun.org
This month there is a 5k called Millie's Princess Run! Go be a part of it! Trust me, it's worth getting up early for!
http://www.milliesprincessrun.org
