A Camp for Hope
Camp Kesem Provides Children of Cancer Victims A Chance to Just Have Fun

Christine Clark | July 21, 2008

Battling cancer is tough enough on those suffering from the disease. But it can be even tougher on the children whose parents are battling for their lives.

A small group of UC San Diego students have banded together to help kids cope with their parent’s illness by running a summer camp for them in the San Gabriel mountains. Called Camp Kesem, it provides them with a week of fun activities. The fifth annual camp took place at Big Rock Creek Camp from June 29 to July 5.

“Camp Kesem has been the single most significant thing I have ever done,” UC San Diego recent graduate Lindsey Halford said. “It was the best thing about my college experience.” Halford was co-chair of Camp Kesem this year and has been involved with the student organization since she was a freshman.

This year's Camp Kesem team.

UC San Diego students spend all year organizing and raising funds for the camp so it can be free to all children in the San Diego community from ages 6 to13, regardless of their financial status, race, religion or nationality.

Several of this year’s participants had been to the camp several times before, Halford said. “I think one of the greatest aspects for me was getting to know the returning campers,” she said. “I've been lucky enough to watch them grow and mature over a period of four years.”

This year, there were about 30 counselors and 60 campers, so the children received a lot of individual attention. “At camp, we hope to give campers the opportunity to have a great time, meet friends and try new things that they may not have had the chance to do at home,” Halford said. “The object is not to forget what's happening at home, but to have some sort of escape and relief.”

The week was jam-packed with fun-filled activities for the campers. They played games, went swimming, tried rope climbing and competed in relay races. They also partook in scavenger hunts, eating contests and arts and crafts. A highlight of this year’s camp was the talent show, where the children sang songs, designed clothes and newspapers for the entire day.

Steven Laos is a sophomore at UC San Diego, who became a counselor at Camp Kesem for the first time this year and he said it was the best experience he has had this summer. “It just felt so great to be involved,” he said. “I was overwhelmed to know that I can actually make a difference in the campers’ lives. It made me so happy to see them smiling and being able to enjoy themselves at camp.”

One of the best experiences Laos said he had was hearing two brothers talk about their mother’s battle with cancer during a “cabin chat.” Every night Laos and the other counselors hosted these chats with the campers to give the children the opportunity to open up about their feelings. “They couldn’t talk about their struggle in a big crowd, but it was great for them to be able to really open up about their mom’s struggle during the chat.”

Laos added that he felt like he bonded with the other counselors. “We have been hanging out a lot since the camp ended,” he said. “I feel like I made a bunch of new friends, people who want to go to the movies and do things. We really bonded. The camp was full of good memories.”

UC San Diego senior Karen Poon is co-chair of next year’s Camp Kesem and has been involved with the student organization since she was a freshman. “My experience working with Camp Kesem has been indescribable,” Poon said. “Camp Kesem has taught me responsibility, friendship, strength, endurance and hope. The campers have to endure many hardships; yet, to see their smiling faces and strength is just so incredible. It's endearing, really.”

Camp Kesem is a national organization that originally started in 2000 at Stanford University when a group of four college students recognized a need to support kids whose parents have cancer. Now, more than a dozen college campuses run a Camp Kesem during the summer. All the camps have the mission help children affected by cancer and to help student leaders develop critical leadership skills and a passion for making a difference.