What if- What if we lived in a world where families were emotionally and financially stable, there were no major illnesses and diseases? What if all students experienced hands on indoor and outdoor learning every day? What if organizations were harmonious, trusting, leveraged differences, and worked as a team? What if… […]
Camp Joy counselor Judy and 9-year-old camper Maggie developed a special friendship through Camp Korelitz, a camp for youth with Type 1 diabetes. The bond between these two is one familiar to Camp Joy campers and counselors, especially at medical camps: “I finally discovered that I was truly was never alone. I came back to Korelitz as a counselor because I want every child with diabetes to have the same amazing opportunities I had.” Aside from fostering friendships, Camp Joy’s partnership with Camp Korelitz awarded campers the opportunity to learn more about their condition and self-sufficiency. Due [...]
Gabriella (Gabby) Brown is a 21 year-old aide for Cincinnati Children’s Hematology & Oncology week from Wilmington, Ohio. A former camper with Wilmington City Schools, Gabby was familiar with the values of Camp Joy when she returned as an aide at age 16. Upon birth Gabby was diagnosed with Vascular and Lymphatic Malformation, beginning her relationship with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. For Gabby, this condition couldn’t begin to hold her back. She was involved in various athletic activities since elementary school and continues to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle throughout college. Her ability to overcome obstacles made [...]
The Police Youth Live-In at Camp Joy serves to strengthen the relationship with the Cincinnati Police Department and members of the urban community. Officers share camp experiences with inner-city youth while breaking down preconceived notions about one another. Throughout the week we followed the development of a friendship between Officer Tim Eppstein and Taurean, a 12 year-old camper. The friendship that developed between these two was one founded on mutual respect. Taurean looked up to Officer Eppstein because he took the time to get to know the campers and challenge them to participate in new activities [...]
The importance of acceptance is one of the many things Anna has learned in her three years at Camp Joy as a participant in the summer program for amputees. “Everybody has a story, something that sets them apart—and you have to learn to accept it,” said Anna, a 14 year-old camper and rising high school freshman. Anna is a participant in the Amputee Coalition of America’s Paddy Rossbach Youth camp’s program at Camp Joy. Some of Anna’s favorite activities like the ropes course and archery show that the possibilities are endless when you are strong willed [...]
An eight-year camp veteran, Anthony’s most impactful experience comes from learning the importance of perspective. A camper with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and an individual living with hemophilia, Anthony has learned the importance of understanding your background, history, and condition, as well as the story of others. “I’ve learned not to be afraid or ashamed because a lot of people have it worse than I do…they have harder day to day struggles, they have more difficult treatments, they don’t have the help that I do.” […]
Jajuan is an eight-time Camp Joy veteran who started coming to camp due to the partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Hematology and Oncology departments. At age 2, Jajuan was diagnosed with sickle cell disease and soon began treatment and surgery. “I used to be insecure and I didn’t want to tell anyone about my condition. Now I’m confident enough to not only talk about my condition, but to be a part of a team,” said now 18 year-old Jajuan. Initially doctors believed that Jajuan would not be able to participate in athletic activities due to his [...]
It isn’t easy staying optimistic as a teenager, but 17 year-old Cohen has mastered the art of positivity: “No matter what happens in your life you have to stay positive.” This positivity was contagious according to Cohen who was responsible this summer for a camper named Micah. “I used to be really self-conscious about my hemophilia but Micah showed me that you could still be happy and enjoy life with a medical condition,” said Cohen after spending the better part of the week with Micah. The two were able to form a close friendship after working [...]
As campers grow older they begin to understand more about themselves and start taking more responsibility for their actions, their decisions, and their health. One camper’s transition from childhood to young-adulthood was met with an unexpected diagnosis. Seventeen year-old Kyle was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2010. After a year of chemotherapy and treatment, and the support of over 100 of his high school classmates who shaved their heads in order to raise awareness in his honor, Kyle arrived to Camp Joy in the summer of 2011 cancer free. […]
Emily has been coming to Joy for 11 consecutive years, not even her family’s brief relocation to Oklahoma could separate her from her friends at Joy. Emily attributes her development of self respect to the lessons taught to her by former Camp Joy counselors: “The most influential people in my life are these counselors. They taught me self-respect and respect for other people.” Originally coming to Camp Joy through Camp Wekandu (a camp for juvenile arthritis), Emily decided that she wanted to become a CIT with the Fostering Success program in order to “make the experience special [...]
