For one week each summer, the Flat Rock River YMCA campgrounds in St. Paul, Indiana, is swarmed with dozens of children who share a desire to simply have fun.
Camp Kesem, which Ball State hosts a local chapter of, is a nationwide organization that hosts free summer camps for children whose parent or parents are or were affected by cancer. The first camp started at Stanford University in 2000 and has now expanded to more than 100 chapters in 40 states.
Ball State’s chapter started with 17 campers and has grown by about 20 members each year, with 52 campers present in July.
Megan Cater, a director and 2018 alumna, said the new goal is to reach up to 55 campers. And while that number may be daunting, Cater said the camp directors want to be able to reach as many kids as possible because the number of people affected by cancer is always growing.
Camp Kesem was founded in Stanford University in 2000 and has since expanded into over 100 chapters. Ball State's chapter has grown into 52 campers this past summer since its founding in 2015. Camp Kesem, Photo Provided
A 2010 American Cancer Society study shows an estimated 2.85 million children have a parent who has survived cancer. An estimated 562,000 children are living with a parent going through the early phases of cancer treatment, and Kesem hopes to help kids cope with those scenarios.
“We’re able to see these kids come out the other side and that’s what we’re here for, to help them get through this process,” said Cater, who is now pursuing a master’s in applied behavioral analysis at Ball State.
Mary Blanke, junior nursing major and a director of the chapter, described the camp as a YMCA camp on steroids. The campers and staff engage in typical camp activities like swimming, ziplining, sports, arts and crafts and nature adventures.
Kesem is the Hebrew word for “magic,” which Cater said was fitting as the camp is a magical experience for the children.
An important activity the kids participate in each day is cabin chat, where the campers are given the opportunity to talk about their experiences. The chats range from simply getting to know each other better or speaking about the reason they are at the camp.
“It’s so inspiring hearing all their stories just because you don’t know what they’re going through,” Blanke said. “You see how resilient these kids are and how willing to take on life and what it’s throwing at them.”
It is not a requirement for a counselor to have been affected by cancer, however, they are also able to share their stories if they were.
“I think that everyone involved has found such a home in Kesem because it’s just so welcoming and allows you to be who you are,” Blanke said.
Campers open up throughout the week, Blanke said, thanks to activities and the cabin chat.
“I think a lot of the kids do come in with underlying burdens and a lot of stress, but here they’re just able to be kids,” Blanke said. “That is what keeps me motivated and inspires me because I see how much fun they have and I see the joy in their faces.”
Cater, whose mom passed away from cancer, said she understands the stress the kids face in their daily lives.
“I know I’ve had to mature a lot quicker because my mom was sick, but that’s given me so much more insight in who I want to be, and I think a lot of these kids have gone through the same thing,” Cater said. “They’re really able to see different aspects of their lives in different ways.”
Cater said working at Kesem changed her whole trajectory for her education. Working with kids at Kesem gave her experience in the field and reaffirmed why she wants to work with kids in her career.
“Having this experience of leading other college students while also helping children cope with what they’re going through really hit home with me and made me realize what I wanted to do,” Cater said.
The counselors’ contact with campers doesn’t end with the week-long camp. Throughout the year, they send video messages, emails, letters and care packages, especially for celebrations like birthdays or during difficult times like the passing of a parent.
“We want to be that support throughout the year when we’re not at camp,” Blanke said.
Registration for camp returners opens January and new camper registration opens in February.
Contact Andrew Harp with comments at adharp@bsu.edu or on Twitter @adharp24.
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