People of all ages can be affected by cancer, but sometimes the children of adults fighting the battle can fall out of the spotlight and don’t get the attention they need.

Camp Kesem is a national organization that has set out to solve that problem. Around the country each summer, Camp Kesem holds weeklong camps orchestrated by college students. The goal is to provide a fun and carefree environment for children whose parents are currently battling or have had cancer in the past, said Emma Frazier, a junior communication and rhetorical studies and political science dual major, who is also involved with Camp Kesem for the first time this year.

On Monday, the link to fill out an online application to become a volunteer for Camp Kesem will become active, and applicants should hear back within a few weeks after submitting their application, said Taylor Weaver, a junior public relations major and public relations spokesperson for the Camp Kesem at Syracuse University organization. About 15 counselors are typically chosen for the SU-run Camp Kesem.

Last summer, the event at SU assisted in improving the summer of 25 kids who have been affected due to their parents’ illnesses. The number of children stays around the same each year, varying slightly based on the amount of counselors that have signed up to volunteer at the camp, Weaver said.

“I was inspired to become involved because it is a beautiful thing,” Weaver said.

Kids whose parents have cancer fall into a category where they could potentially be forgotten. Although their parents are the ones that are sick, many people don’t think about how it affects the kids of those that have been diagnosed with the disease, Weaver said.

The national Camp Kesem organization has had a positive effect around the United States, and its 54 chapters nationwide have reached out and helped over 10 thousand children since its founding in 2000, according to the Camp Kesem website. In the past summer alone, almost 4 thousand children participated in the camp. The camp is free of charge to children aged 6–16, and the organization reaches across 29 states, according to the website.

Camp Kesem has a different theme each year, and events over the course of the week include canoeing, dunk tanks, archery, crafts and other activities that allow the kids to have fun and feel welcomed, Weaver said.

A lot of planning goes into making the camp as perfect as it can be, and many members of the team work hard to make it a success. In particular, a theme has to be decided on well in advance to create the best environment for the week, said Frazier who handles the scheduling of the week and plays a role in deciding the theme for next year’s camp.

In addition, studies show that the program works. Ninety-eight percent of families that have had a child participate in the camp believe that it had a positive effect on the child and their families, according to the Camp Kesem website.

Frazier said kids with ill parents aren’t necessarily given as much attention as they should, and Camp Kesem is a way to give them the attention that they need. “It’s a way to give back,” she said.

Published on November 17, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Erin: eemcdona@syr.edu