When a child receives a diagnosis for a life altering disease, their days of fun in the sun become limited and are soon replaced with frequent hospital visits and labs. This transition can be difficult for any child to navigate, especially in the summer months when other kids are off enjoying the great outdoors. Here at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, we offer a variety of summer camps to provide our patients with an unforgettable summer experience in fun, safe, and supportive environments, with the help of our dedicated team of child life specialists.
We asked Kimberly Allen, MS, CCLS, hematology oncology child life specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, to answer some frequently asked questions about our summer camp programs.
Q. How many camps are there, and what are their specializations?
A. Camp Rainbow was our first camp that started in 1985. Children with cancer and their siblings spend time with other kids going through similar situations.
Camp Joint Venture is for children diagnosed with Rheumatic disease.
Camp Strong Heart is for children who have been diagnosed with cardiac related diagnoses.
Camp Sweet Life is for children who have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes or insulin dependent Diabetes.
Q. What ages can participate and how long do they run?
A. At Camp Rainbow kids spend six days just being a kid.
Camp Joint Venture is a four-day overnight summer camp for kids between 6-18 years old.
Camp Strong Heart is a two-day overnight summer camp for kids between 4-17 years old.
Camp Sweet Life is an overnight summer camp for kids between 7-16 years old.
Each camp has different requirements, so be sure to ask your physician if camp is right for your child.
Q. What type of actives will the campers participate in?
A. Campers participate in a variety of camping activities which include, but are not limited to, horseback riding, wall climbing, drumming, arts and crafts, ceramics, basketball, golf, tennis, bike riding, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, archery, farming and swimming.
Q. Are there any costs for these programs?
A. All camps are free.
To offset the costs, we offer scholarships for families who cannot afford it.
Q. How can I support these camps?
A. All camp counselors are volunteers and our camps rely on donations to keep the programs running. If you would like to make a donation to our camp programs, please visit augusta.edu/giving/makeagift.
Please note, all camps are staffed with a physician and a nurse to attend to the campers’ medical needs.
