Making the Holidays Brighter...
Jan 07, 2025
For families navigating childhood cancer or serious illness, the holidays can be an especially lonely time. But this past season, Campfire Circle turned hospital rooms into spaces of joy, delivering crafts, games, and music that bring laughter and connection to kids right at their bedsides. Sadie is a brave nine-year-old who has spent much of […]...Learn More
Hello from Hamilton!
Dec 23, 2024
When I introduce myself to new families in Hamilton, I start with: “Hi! I’m here to make your stay a little more fun and a little less boring. We can play games, make crafts, do scavenger hunts. I’ll do my best to make sure that whatever YOU love to do, you can still do in […]...Learn More
Serving Serious Illnesses in...
Dec 16, 2024
Here in London, our Campfire Circle in-hospital team is super unique because we offer programs for nearly all paediatric patients. This means a kid receiving chemotherapy can share a room with a kid receiving treatment for a blood disorder. We also help kids and families from as far away as Thunder Bay. When I first […]...Learn More
Growing with Our Ottawa...
Dec 10, 2024
In Ottawa, we meet as many as 10 families a week at the hospital. The demand for our programs and activities is growing fast. When families are in the hospital it’s such an isolating experience. They feel all alone, and then they are genuinely and joyfully surprised to hear about Campfire Circle: Games! Crafts! Songs! […]...Learn More
Where Kids Can Be...
Dec 05, 2024
Ethan was diagnosed with a high-risk leukemia a few months before his third birthday. His mom, Kayleigh, shared her story of his health journey in hospital. Here, she shares how going to camp changed her family: “Over the past two years, Ethan’s treatment has consisted of daily oral chemotherapy and numerous other medications. We can […]...Learn More
From COVID to Cancer
Dec 04, 2024
It has been a whirlwind of emotions for the Kennedy family. Kayleigh’s son, Ethan, was diagnosed with a high-risk leukemia a few months before his third birthday. This is Kayleigh’s story. “In August 2022, I heard the words no parent should ever hear: Your son has cancer. He was two years old, and my daughter […]...Learn More
The Privilege of “No”...
Dec 03, 2024
People wonder how I introduce myself to kids and families in the hospital. I usually say, “Hi! I’m with Campfire Circle. We work here on the unit, and we specialize in the fun stuff. We play games, we do crafts, we play music, and we’re here for you whenever you need it. I see your […]...Learn More
LCBO Holiday Campaign Supports...
Nov 29, 2024
We are excited to be included in the LCBO’s “Share the Joy, Give with Purpose” fundraising campaign. From November 29 to December 31, LCBO customers across Ontario can donate $2, $5, or $10 at checkout, helping Campfire Circle deliver critical play-based programming to kids with cancer or serious illness and their families. We are proud […]...Learn More
The Power of Yes...
Nov 26, 2024
“At one point in our lives, we didn’t think joy was possible. We were all in so much pain when Thejas, our son, was in the hospital. I remember the tiny joys we would get when someone at Campfire Circle would come in to play the ukulele and sing with us, or when we got […]...Learn More
A Generous Donor Sends...
Nov 13, 2024
In an inspiring act of community, 20 Campfire Circle campers are attending the concert of a lifetime, thanks to the generosity of the Moreira-Dovigi family. The family has gifted coveted tickets to Taylor Swift’s sold-out Toronto shows this November, providing kids with cancer or serious illness and their families a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Our family really […]...Learn More
Putting Care in Caregivers...
Nov 06, 2024
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 […]...Learn More
Serving Kids with Serious...
Oct 16, 2024
This August, Campfire Circle, in partnership with Camp Jumoke and Camp Oki, hosted a week-long overnight camp session for kids with serious blood disorders and heart diseases. “The day I arrived at Campfire Circle was the first time I had met anyone with my condition,” says 13-year-old Sarah*. “When my cabinmate told me she has […]...Learn More
Meet Chip, Legacy Donor...
Oct 16, 2024
“Camp is filled with amazing people—kind, caring, compassionate and empathetic. Our role as volunteers is 100% focused on campers, ensuring they have a great day, regardless of how exhausted we may be. Yet, in many ways, it’s an easy job. Kids just want to be kids and the bonus for me is that, even at […]...Learn More
Healing Through Happiness Across...
Oct 16, 2024
From London to Ottawa and everywhere in between, Campfire Circle is a place where kids from across Ontario gather for a week of connection, fun, and friendship. Here are just some of the many campers who were able to attend camp because of generous donors like you. Together with your ongoing support, we will continue […]...Learn More
Alice’s Summer Adventure
Oct 16, 2024
Do you remember Alice? She’s back from camp and full of stories! “We loved every minute of family camp. Alice and her sister Aviva both could not get out of the water. It was a week filled with swimming, time at the splash pad, and endless water games. They also both did the rock wall […]...Learn More
Rainbow Lake’s Dream Machine
Oct 16, 2024
Have you heard of the Dream Machine? It’s a magic box at Campfire Circle Rainbow Lake where campers and caregivers write down a dream and throw it inside. Dreams like: Throw my counsellor in the lake! Everyone has to dress in PJs for breakfast tomorrow! Unicorn fairy princess parade through the dining hall! The Dream […]...Learn More
Friendship and fun at...
Sep 27, 2024
At just a few months old, Lily was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Now, at age seven, she lives with a feeding tube and wheelchair. For Lily, who is based in Ottawa, Campfire Circle’s day camp program has been the perfect way for her to experience the joy of camp in a medically accessible and […]...Learn More
R2//NYC Raises $925,000 for...
Sep 26, 2024
On September 11, 2024, 63 cyclists embarked on a challenging five-day cycling journey from Toronto to New York City, culminating in an epic finish at Times Square on September 15. Riding an average of 170 km a day and climbing 9,000 metres in total, riders raised over $925,000 to support year-round camp programs for kids […]...Learn More
Finding Belonging at Camp
Aug 27, 2024
“Oh, it was really fun!” says 11-year-old Asher who just came back from one week at Campfire Circle’s Muskoka site. “I loved everything. There were tons of activities and so many new opportunities. All the chants were so amazing that I lost my voice. I also made new friends,” says Asher about his first overnight […]...Learn More
Bonfire Bash Muskoka Raises...
Aug 12, 2024
With your support, this year’s Bonfire Bash Muskoka raised an incredible $700,000, funding 280 campers for a week of life-changing overnight camp. A special thank you goes to our presenting sponsor, BMO Financial Group, along with all of our generous sponsors and champions who made the evening such a success. The event featured delicious food […]...Learn More
Fallon’s Story
Jul 30, 2024
“Camp is everything you need when you are fighting for your child’s life.” When Fallon was diagnosed at age 10, our world crashed and burned. Being at the hospital is a blur of tears, needles, and a lot of anxiety. But then you hear the ‘tink tink’ of a ukulele and there is a joyful, […]...Learn More
Alice’s Story
Jul 30, 2024
“For Alice, treatment was like getting abducted by aliens.” Alice’s chemo treatments were very challenging. It was a low point when four nurses had to pin her down. I remember thinking: for Alice, it must be like getting abducted by aliens once a week and not know what’s happening or why it hurts so much […]...Learn More
Meet “the Pham-ily”
Jul 30, 2024
“April devoured her delicious ‘no more treatment’ cake at camp!” Our baby April was diagnosed with infant leukemia at seven months old. April loved when Ken would come to sing her songs—he completely won her little heart. We got a spot last minute at family camp, and we all had so much fun. April got […]...Learn More
What’s Cooking, Chef Cait?
Jul 30, 2024
WHAT’S COOKING, CHEF CAIT? Picture yourself at Rainbow Lake’s kitchen with Chef Cait—gooey mac and cheese sauce simmering, an oven clock dinging, dishes clattering. As you can imagine, with nine different menus (one for each family camp session), and numerous dietary restrictions, Chef Cait has a lot on her spinning plates! We want to take […]...Learn More
Bonding Through Music at...
Jul 19, 2024
The Cardinals are some of the busiest campers. As the youngest group of boys at camp, they zigzag from one end of the field to the other and swim and play all hours of the day. Their week of camp is filled with as much outdoor fun and activities as possible. This year, Oscar came […]...Learn More
Campfire Circle Receives OTF...
Jul 16, 2024
Ontario Government’s OTF Grant Supports Expansion of Campfire Circle’s Programs for Kids with Serious Illness On Sunday, July 14, 2024, MPP Graydon Smith and a member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Board of Directors, Andy Blenkarn, announced a grant to Campfire Circle for our play-based programs for kids with cancer or serious illness and […]...Learn More
Push the Limits
Jun 25, 2024
A childhood diagnosis of cancer or serious illness affects kids well into their teen years. Faced with long-term symptoms, teens and young adults can live in fear, anxiety, or depression about their future. Depending on their diagnosis, some teens may have limited mobility, which prevents them from joining extra-curricular activities and other ways to make […]...Learn More
From ‘Know Your Limits’...
Jun 04, 2024
“I was 13 when I was diagnosed with my second bout of cancer—sarcoma on my shoulder. I also had kidney cancer when I was three years old back in Saudi Arabia. My whole life I’ve known I’m different from other kids, and I’ve often felt alienated and alone. With camp, that feeling disappears. I don’t […]...Learn More
2024 Sporting Life 10K
May 17, 2024
On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, over 20,000 participants laced up and took to Yonge Street for the 24th annual Sporting Life 10K. To date, this year ’s event has raised more than $2.1 million to support our year-round camp-inspired programs for kids with cancer or serious illness and their families. A record number of […]...Learn More
The 2024 Sporting Life...
May 10, 2024
In support of Campfire Circle, more than 20,000 participants will run, walk, jog, or stroll down iconic Yonge Street on Sunday, May 12, with another 500+ participants joining the virtual event from May 12-31. In its 24th year, the Sporting Life 10K is one of Canada’s biggest running events and since 2000, it has raised […]...Learn More
