Cancer has been a disease that is close to my heart ever since my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She passed away when I was ten-years-old, and I felt like I had lost one of my best friends. Since then, I have always tried to support the fight against cancer in any way that I can.
Then one of my best friends was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year, and it made my urge to bring this disease down even stronger. About two months after my friend was diagnosed, I heard about a career known as Child Life; previous to that, I had been oblivious about what I wanted to do with my life. All I knew was that I wanted to work with children. I did some research and learned that Child Life was a career I could really get behind and knew that it was what I wanted to do.
I began volunteering at Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville, SC and I fell in love. While I was volunteering I was told about Camp Courage and that they needed more counselors to volunteer over the summer. I immediately contacted the camp director to find out how I could become involved. Camp Courage changed my life in ways I never thought it could. I have been talking about it constantly since it concluded; I feel as though I almost talk about it too much, but in honor of September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I want to discuss why I just cannot stop talking about Camp Courage.
Camp Courage is a summer camp that is split into two different sessions: main camp and teen camp. Main camp is for children ages 5-12, and teen camp is obviously for teenagers. During pool time, kids have fun all day long every day for a week (basically
Natalie, 15 years old, has been coming to Camp Courage for 7 years. "Camp Courage is like my 2nd home. I get to spend time with all my friends and bond with other people who have gone through the same thing as I have."
Brianna, 16 years old, has been coming to Camp Courage for 8 years. "Camp Courage has always been something that I looked forward to every year. It's a place where I feel comfortable and can be myself around everyone. Everyone fits in because we know not to judge people for everything. Some of the people I trust the most are ones I have met at camp. I'm so thankful that we keep getting to come back every year and even though most of the campers don't see each other during the year we still always come back exactly where we left off the year before. Camp Courage has had a huge impact on my life, and it has helped me to become the person I am today!"
Hannah, 16 years old, has been coming to camp for 10 years. "Camp is my second home. I love everyone there and can't wait to see them every year. A special part of camp for me is when we remember the friends that we have lost to a disease that we all shared. Camp is my home!"
Camp Courage has made a huge impact on campers since it started in 1994. Not only has it made an impact on its campers, it makes a huge impact on its staff as well.
Halley, a first-year Counselor: "Camp Courage was an eye-opening experience for me; it allowed me to take a step back and look at life without the hassle of being a college student. The experience gave me the opportunity to make unforgettable friendships with eleven and twelve-year-olds; many, of which, I am sure have more courage than I do!
The can-do attitudes and the determination to conquer a task from each camper was like a slap in the face; I can attest that the campers changed my life more than I could ever change theirs. Camp Courage’s impact is monumental -- it really is. 'A special place for courageous kids' to steal your heart!"
Colleen, seventh-year Counselor: "I started my first summer as a counselor the first summer we were at Pleasant Ridge. I was going into nursing school, and I figured it would be good "experience" for my resume. After that first summer, I was hooked. You form a bond with the kids unlike any other. Camp Courage was part of what helped me realize oncology was where I was supposed to be. I'd always known I was supposed to be a nurse, but learning about the kids, interacting with them, and just getting to experience life with them really confirmed it.
It amazes me how much some of the kids have overcome, or are in the middle of overcoming, and they don't complain. They take what life has thrown at them, and they adapt way better than any adult I've seen. At camp, they just get to be normal kids and have experiences they don't get outside of camp. They've walked around in a bubble through treatment and for one week during the summer they can just be 'normal.' I really can't imagine summer without camp."
Working as a counselor at both main and teen camp has drastically impacted my life. Before I went off to main camp, I knew I was in for something that was truly going to change my life. I was the counselor of the girls' cabin aged 9-10. After training, the girls began to show up, and I could already tell I was in for an exciting time. A lot of these girls had already come to camp before and were so excited to be reunited with their summertime friends. Their energy was contagious and it was easy to fall in love with these children.
The new campers were brimming with excitement, and maybe a little fear mixed in, but by the end of the week, you could not tell who was a first-time camper. We all had such a great week together; we laughed together, built memories to last a lifetime, and I watched lifelong friendships begin to form before my own eyes. By the end of the week, it was so hard to say goodbye to the campers. With big smiles and sad eyes, we all parted ways with hopes that we would see each other next summer.
After main camp, I went home for a few weeks and could not shake the amazing memories and positive vibes I had gained. I emailed the camp director and asked if there was anyway I could help with teen camp. She allowed me to return as a counselor for teen camp as well and I was ecstatic. I was assigned to the older girls cabin where we had girls ranging from 15-17.
Teen camp was filled with campers who had grown up together over the many years they had spent at camp. They were already a family, and I was just there to watch the good times they were all having. They knew the camp like the back of their hands. They honestly could have done it on their own. At teen camp, everyone had so much love for each other and it could be seen from a mile away. Seeing the way these campers trust, rely on, and love each other was truly inspirational.
Camp Courage showed me how amazing all of these kids are. They all had gone through something horrendous and came out stronger than before. The resiliency was so strong in the groups that it made me feel tougher. Camp Courage showed me how important it is to have a loving, supportive community behind you because it can help you conquer so many things from finding the courage to climb 50 ft into the air to being able to sit in a giant circle and open up to you're deepest, rawest emotions and remember those we love who we have lost.
During my two weeks with Camp Courage I laughed, I cried, and I made memories with the campers that I will never forget. Camp Courage made me feel like I really made an impact on the lives of others and introduced me to so many campers, counselors, directors, and nurses who have forever impacted my life as well. Camp Courage will be a part of me, for now and forever.
