Camp Hope is a non-profit whose goal is to improve the health of children and adolescents with cancer between the ages of 5 and 17 years. Camp Hope takes place each June at Camp Aldrich near Claflin, Kansas. Camp Hope is open to children and teens. We also offer a day-camp starting at age 4 for youth who are too young or simply unable to attend the full week of camp.Camp Hope is FREE for all attendees! We also provide free bus transportation for campers from Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.
Unique in its ability to assist campers’ needs through a fully functional, on-site medical team, Camp Hope campers are able to enjoy traditional summer camp activities including, but not limited to, swimming, bowling, golf, fishing, hiking, archery, arts and crafts, and more. It is a time for them to be around peers who have, or have had, similar life-altering illnesses. Camp Hope allows the children to see they are not alone in their struggle.
It is the mission of Camp Hope to provide a normal, active, and safe camp experience where children can celebrate life with, through, and beyond the diagnosis of cancer.
Camp Hope has been serving kids with cancer for over 40 years. Any child ages 5-17 that have or have had cancer are eligible to attend. We also know that cancer affects the entire family which is why we also offer Camp SIBsational, a camp dedicated to meet the unique needs of the siblings of kids with cancer.
Camp provides these kids with a traditional summer camp experience that might otherwise be denied them due to their, or their sibling’s, illness and special needs. Campers are able to participate in a wide variety of activities such as swimming, bowling, golfing, fishing, basketball, crafts, horseback riding and more. There is a 24- hour on-site medical team which at Camp Hope consists of pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, pharmacists and a mental health specialist, and a 24-hour on-call pediatric oncologist. We typically have 90-100 volunteers and 70-90 campers each year.
Our campers become more confident and optimistic. They are able to interact with other children who have been through a similar situation already or are going through it now currently. They realize that they are not alone in their ordeal. They often leave camp with more hope about the future. We rely on camper and parent testimonials, as well as formal camp evaluations, to measure our outcomes and how much Camp Hope affects the lives of our attendees.
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