Putting Care in Caregivers during Family Camp

Diagnosed at four years old with an inoperable brain tumour, Memphis met Campfire Circle in-hospital staff while undergoing treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
Memphis, now six, and his brother Kaiser have both attended day camps and community programs in Ottawa, and this summer, their family headed to Rainbow Lake for the first time. They also just came back from a fall Weekend at Camp (WAC) at Muskoka.

Their mother Carley tells us her story:

“From Ottawa to Rainbow Lake is a long drive, especially with little ones, so we stayed in Whitby the night prior to arriving to camp. We drove up on Saturday and as soon as we got to camp, it was a lineup of happy faces. The boys were so excited they wanted to jump out the car window.

From the start, we were taken care of. We took a family photo, checked in at The Body Shop, and were escorted to our cabin. Our family guides kept our kids busy while we unpacked our bags.

We had dinner, which was filled with so much cheer, and the kids were thrilled. I was still in shock because I didn’t know what to expect. And the days went on like this. There were activities for the kids. There were activities for the caregivers. I was able to finish my coffee, and it felt so sweet.

There was no pressure. I don’t remember thinking about the hospital once when I was there!

Memphis’ favourite activity was swimming. He’s a big fish. We woke up early and did the Polar Bear dip. Memphis wasn’t keen on jumping in, but we walked in. It was great he was able to participate in the way that he wanted to.

The kids go to sleep at 7 p.m. It was nice because we would put the kids to bed and me and their dad would go to the closing campfire and the activities at the caregivers’ lounge while the volunteers would stay with them at the cabin. We had tea every night like that. It felt like we were just as important as the kids that week.

And it wasn’t isolating. We all had something to talk about with other families. Whereas in the rest of the world, nobody really understands what you’re going through when your child is sick.

Memphis is still in treatment. Every day at 4:30 we went to The Body Shop so he could take his meds, but so did everyone else. It was fun for him. When we’re at home, it’s a bit of a battle because he doesn’t want to stop doing what he’s doing. But at camp, it was a fun, normal thing.

Thank you to donors, staff, and volunteers who made our week truly special. Campfire Circle has filled a hole. From community programs to camps, they are so essential and I’m so thankful for it.”