Laurie’s mom and newborn daughter, October 2007 – say cheese!
“I’m not sure if it is possible, but if I can send you a “signal” after I go, then I promise that I will.” by Laurie’s mom, August 6 2009, 2 days before her untimely passing from a rare and aggressive uterine cancer/sarcoma with features normally seen only in pediatric sarcomas; her bone marrow was packed with cancer cells, but her mind was free and clear.
I’m going to get right to it, for once. Did you know that the American Cancer Society had been supporting a nationwide summer childhood cancer camp program, consisting of about 25 camps, for decades? Did you know that they are no longer funding these camps for 2014 or beyond, as announced in 2013? They say that the reason was to redirect all funding to research, but I have not seen the words “pediatric” or “childhood” specified. Regardless, do you think it is appropriate and rationale to say this?: Hey kids with cancer and your brothers and sisters, no more camps for you until we find cures for all things cancer, so you are just going to have to wait and sit home while healthy kids enjoy camp 
on your behalf. One of these said camps is in my area. Appropriately named Camp Can Do, it is attended by children from a wide area in eastern/central Pennsylvania: from Philadelphia to Lehigh Valley to Hershey and now they are fighting for their lives.
Let me just say this, I am very, very disappointed that the American Cancer Society has decided that these camps can no longer be funded. What they may not realize is the camp program was the one area the ACS shined in showing they had compassion for kids with cancer. I assume the children will see a huge increase in the amount of research the American Cancer Society devotes to childhood cancers. Well…
Let’s get on with survivin’. Here’s the poignant words of Miss Beyoncé and her gals from Destiny Child, with some slight adaptations:
You know I’m not gon diss the ACS on the internet
Cause my mama taught me better than that
I’m a survivor (What?)
I’m not gon give up (What?)
I’m not gon stop (What?)
I’m gon work harder (What?)
Can Do’s Director is a survivor (What?)
Can Do’s gonna make it (What?)
Can Do will survive (What?)
Keep on survivin’
So how did I wind up finding out about this camp problem, considering that I have had no direct personal experience with childhood cancer? Well, it is a funny little ironic story. I came into this community because of one reason—I wanted to do my part to raise money to support RESEARCH funding, knowing all too well that treatment advances for the kids are lagging behind those from adults. Simple mantra: Kids First in all ways, cancer research no exception–PERIOD! I appreciate the importance of CARE-focused organizations, but my mission pertained to better research. But my well-intentioned efforts to start a new, fun local fundraiser have been in slow motion, for no lack of effort on my part. Just lots of totally unnecessary barriers, which I won’t go into here (see song lyrics above, for the time being).
Anyhow, during the holiday period of November-December 2013, I was in deep meditative-type thought about what my path should be moving forward, to maximize my contribution to the childhood cancer community. I hardly talked about it at all, to anyone, was just thinking, thinking, and thinking to myself. And in my head, I had a very short conversation with my mom, granted it was one-sided but here is what I said, “Ma, if you can see things clearer than me and can send me that “signal” that you promised, please point me in the right direction as I cannot see the forest through the trees right now.”
A few days later I went Christmas shopping at a local craft show near my house, something I have never done even though it is a long-running annual event. There, I windup chatting with a former pediatric cancer nurse who was volunteering at the event, whom I met very briefly in September 2013. She remembered me and knew that I was interested in raising funds for childhood cancer research, per our prior interaction, but hesitantly says something along the lines of this: I am not trying to sway you from your mission as I
know you are interested in raising research funding, but did you hear about the summer camp program that lost its funding from the American Cancer Society just last year?
“Uh No”, I responded, but I wanted to know more as this is the first I was hearing about it. She passed along the names of some local camps that were affected by this “business decision” (again, go back and read song lyrics above). I did not go home and look up the camps right away, as I was still pondering the research funding problems/solutions and was being swallowed up by the craziness of the holiday season. But when the holiday had passed, I sat down at my computer and found the article that I linked earlier (http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/MP/20130504/NEWS/130509647). Here’s how it started, in case the link isn’t working for ya:
“Camp Can Do specializes in giving kids with cancer a chance at the summer camp experience, and a growing number of people are using their can-do attitudes to save it. For former camper Tom Prader, raising money for another summer of Camp Can Do means saving a camp that saved his life. He started at camp in 1984, right after his second relapse, and he was not excited about going. “I was angry and I thought that I was by myself,” Prader said. But during his week away, he changed for the better. Prader said his mother still talks about how he changed during that week at camp. During his 12 years of treatment, he said, it was people connected to Camp Can Do that supported him. Because of his experience as a camper, he knows what camp means to kids who attend. “I couldn’t live with myself if that opportunity, if that need, wasn’t filled for other kids,” he said.”
Once I read up to this part, there was no need per se to read any further. I was so IN, knowing instantly that I had finally received my long-awaited SIGNAL (!!) that I so desperately needed more than ever; and if my mom really had nothing to do with this, we will just pretend like she did.
Keep in mind that the folks leading this effort to save the camp, who have been breaking their backs to secure enough funding over the past year so that the camp can take place in 2014 and beyond, are childhood cancer survivors. It angers me that they are left to pick up the pieces—they have been through enough in their lives and should not have been thrown into this situation—and the least I can do is help them. So I have something unique and fun up my sleeve, and I’ll be sharing more in a later post…
I still plan to get back into the research funding focus, once the camp gets squared away. For right now, however, my priority is Camp Can Do. I Can Do something.
My understanding is that up to 25 camps were affected, and I do not know the fate of the rest of them. If you have information to share, please contact me directly.
I started with a quote and am going to end with one. But these are my words, written words to Tom Prader—the same Tom Prader who is a childhood cancer survivor who is fighting to save Camp Can Do:
“If you think like a Muppet, good things come. 🙂 The Muppets would never let camp die!”
This gal is on quite the Muppet-like mission, so gotta run but more later…
Author: Laurie O.
Editor’s Note: Want to help Camp Can DO?
While it costs about $1,000 to sponsor a single camper, the camp experience is free of charge to the families of children with cancer or survivors or siblings.
Daniel Boone Optimist Club (Based in PA), a member of Optimist International, has been working since January 2014 to raise funding for Camp Can Do 2014 and beyond.
The Daniel Boone Optimists have pledged a $5,000 donation from their club (and this donation is being matched, for a contribution totaling at least $10,000). They are accepting individual donations of ANY amount from anyone who would like to help. The total operating costs for the 3-week camp, which is an all-volunteer effort and includes a mix of children in active treatment, children in remission (or otherwise in a break of treatment), and siblings, is in the range of $160,000-180,000.
100% of your donation will be directed to Camp Can Do. Optimist International Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit entity, making your donation eligible for tax-deductibility.
Checks need to be made payable to “Optimist International Foundation”
IMPORTANT: the memo line must state “Childhood Cancer Support”, to ensure that 100% of your donation is directed to Camp Can Do
Mail checks to : Optimist International Foundation c/o Daniel Boone Optimist Club PO Box 98, Douglassville PA 19518
Any questions whatsoever can be directed to Laurie Orloski, who is a blogger here, a member of Daniel Boone Optimist Club, and can be reached at laurie.orloski@gmail.com or by phone at 610.385.1689
Click here for a copy the the latest brochure>> CanDoBrochureASide1
Four-Square Clobbers Cancer 
Camp Goodtimes West (located outside of Seattle) started up The Goodtimes Project to raise funds to keep camp going without the ACS’ support. Check out their website (http://www.thegoodtimesproject.org/) and their Facebook page to learn more. It has taken a lot of effort from some motivated leaders, but things are coming together and camp is on track for summer 2014. Camp is my son’s favorite week of the summer and we are incredibly grateful for the efforts of so many that make camp a possibility.
Thanks for this info! I wonder if there might be some way for these camps to work together, even if it is just to spread awareness about this new need for individuals and companies to provide support for the camp on their area. I assume that other camps are staying open while others are forced to close their doors. I am trying to find out as much as I can about the state of the other camps, but there is no one single source so thanks again for the link.
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