Your Fall Camp Adventure Updates!

CAMP ADVENTURE UPDATES!

Stories about how you’re helping right now, and all year long!

Together with donors’ amazing support, we are welcoming campers for daily adventures and events. Here are just a few kids and families who are impacted by your kindness and generosity.

NOAH’S CAMP ADVENTURES: MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOU!

“Noah gave camp an enthusiastic 12/10!” – Ivona, Grateful Camp Mom

Together with your kindness and generosity, our pal Noah had an awesome and epic camp adventure this summer! You might remember hearing Noah’s story—his mom Ivona describes him as “7-going-on-teenager” and he’s been using a wheelchair ever since he had cancer as a baby. Because of our amazing friends of camp like you, Noah was able to go to camp all by himself for the first time ever this year—10 days of accessible adventures! We are thrilled to share this update from Ivona, Noah’s mom. Thank you for making these—and many more—camp stories possible!

“When we picked Noah up after camp, he couldn’t stop talking. Cabin mates! Swimming! Treetop trekking! Fishing! He was all smiles, just pure joy. My heart jumped into my throat when he talked about the treetops. We’re both afraid of heights. Me more than him, obviously, but I couldn’t believe it! It’s one of those activities I had never even imagined—the fact that it’s accessible and that he was able to just jump up and do it like any other kid?! And he was so proud that he got a swimming band that meant he didn’t need a jacket, just a pool noodle. My little fish in the water! He loves swimming and feels so free when he can propel himself so well using just his arms.

Even from the moment he got on the wheelchair-accessible bus, I knew he was in good hands. I sent along an essay of instructions and even his medical complexities were never a big deal. He never heard ‘no we can’t do that.. He only heard about adventures, challenges, and opportunities. And he also had quiet, gentle moments with his cabin mates and counsellors—when he mentioned his buddy Alex, neither of us knew he was talking about the CEO of Campfire Circle! It felt like forever, but it also went so quick. My husband and I slept in, stayed out late, and even got out of the city for a few nights, too. I didn’t realize how much I missed him until I saw him—and he was just beaming, bursting and bubbling with stories. He is counting the days until he can go back, and recounting and reliving his camp memories almost every day. It’s unusual for any 7-year-old to be so overwhelmingly positive about an experience but Noah just raves about camp. We’re so thankful and appreciative to everyone who supports Campfire Circle. Thank you!”

– Ivona, Noah’s Mom and Grateful Camp Mom

FROM OUR CAMP MAILBOX TO YOUR HEART!

Chill Will’s Story: A love letter to camp…thanks to you!

We just received this beautiful letter from a camper family and just had to share it with you—because you make these memories possible! “Chill Will” was given his nickname when he met Campfire Circle in the hospital when he was a teeny-tiny baby. Will was diagnosed with cancer at just seven days old, and the volunteers, staff and nurses couldn’t believe that he was the happiest, most smiley, most mellow baby. Only a few weeks after his challenging in-hospital treatments, the family went to a Weekend at Camp (or WAC), and it was the first time they had ever spent any quality family time outside of the hospital. Will still had a lot of medical needs and complex medications to coordinate, but nothing stopped them from having adventures! We hope this letter brings a smile to your face—it sure did for us!

Hi Campfire Circle,

Geoff, Will and I are just back from our first family camp session at Rainbow Lake. We cannot thank everyone involved enough for the beautiful time we were able to spend together as a family. Being surrounded by nature, other families who have been through similar journeys to ours, and watching all of the kids able to just be kids was incredibly healing for us. We cannot wait to go back next year when Will, who is currently 13 months, will hopefully be rip-roaring around the place as a two-year-old.

Special thanks to our family guide (Zahra) who allowed Geoff and I to get a whole lot more rest than we have had in a long time and to all of the incredibly creative, energetic and enthusiastic staff who made the week so memorable.

As one of the mom’s said in the final gratitude circle, Campfire Circle is the best silver lining to the hand that we have all been dealt.

– Lisa, Geoff and “Chill Will”, Grateful Camp Family

JOEL’S STORY

“Without camp, he would never have a chance to meet kids with the same experiences. It makes a massive difference to him—and all of us.” – Karen, Grateful Camp Mom

“Joel doesn’t have any friends who have had cancer. In fact, the only way most kids can relate to him when they find out is to say, ‘Oh, my Grandma died of cancer’. I know kids are doing their best, but it breaks my heart a bit every time I hear someone say that to Joel, and I can see that it hurts him, too. I also know in my heart that camp gives him social connections with other kids who can understand what he’s been through in a way that most kids can’t. Our daughters Brooke and Claire get the opportunity to attend camp too—it means so much to them and us that Campfire Circle supports siblings of children with cancer too, as they are directly impacted by the cancer diagnosis as well.

If camp wasn’t free, and only kids whose families could afford it were able to go, we’d be leaving kids behind in building these crucial connections which will be so important for their whole lives. All kids have this opportunity to belong at camp. And the peace of mind that goes with knowing there are doctors, nurses, and the best resources and medical staff right at camp means everything.

– Karen, Grateful Camp Mom

Thank you for your amazing support of Campfire Circle. Thank you for being part of our story! We’d love to hear from you! You can email us or Phone us.