A week free of worry may sound good to just about anyone, but if you’re a child with a cancer diagnosis, such an idea can represent a much more significant and rare opportunity.
This is the philosophy behind Camp No Worries, a nonprofit, week-long summer program at Camp Inawendiwin in Tabernacle that caters specifically to children with cancer and their siblings.
The camp’s tagline states: “Where children with cancer and their siblings can just be kids for a week every summer.”
Established in 1995, the camp is the brainchild of Moorestown resident and cancer survivor Kasey Hall-Massa, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1986 when she was 11 years old. She can recall how she felt facing her first summer with the diagnosis.
“I remember feeling angry, scared and very isolated from my friends as they began looking forward to all of the exciting things they were going to do on their summer break,” said Hall-Massa.
After having survived a battle with cancer at a young age, Hall-Massa and her family decided to take everything they had learned throughout her time in treatment and recovery to create a summer camp specifically for children facing similar diagnoses.
“Our goal was to build a place where kids could just be kids and do the things that make them happy, the things that make a child feel complete,” said Hall-Massa.
The camp is currently in preparations for its 25th summer in operation, and according to Hall-Massa, has some surprises in store for campers in celebration of the anniversary that organizers are keeping under wraps until camp begins June 23.
As a nonprofit organization that provides a summer camp experience at no cost to families, Camp No Worries relies on a staff of volunteers, some of whom are former campers themselves.
“They really recognize the importance it had on their whole journey, and they’ll say, ‘I want to give these kids what I had,’ and that is just so powerful,” said Hall-Massa.
Despite having assembled an enthusiastic staff that returns to the camp year after year, Hall-Massa says they are actually facing a shortage of male volunteers this year and are hoping to secure four to five more by June 1.
The camp is facing one of its highest registration rates this year and is expecting around 105 boys and girls ages 6 to 16.
Male volunteers are needed to help staff the boys cabins. To volunteer as a counselor, one must be at least 19 years old, but according to Hall-Massa, they are seeking a broad age range of volunteers.
“We’ve had college students and we’ve had retired folks come out and volunteer their time, so as long as they have the physical stamina to maintain a week in the wilderness then they should consider the opportunity of giving to a camp like this,” said Hall-Massa.
Full-time volunteers spend the entire week with the campers. Following breakfast each day, they will participate in and guide group activities like boating, archery, arts and crafts and swimming. Evening activities typically bring the entire camp together for one big group event.
Hall-Massa promises volunteers are in for a fun and rewarding week and will leave with fond memories and perhaps even a new perspective.
“You get so much more than you give and there will be memories to last a lifetime,” said Hall-Massa.
Camp No Worries is seeking both full- and part-time volunteers. To find out how you can get involved, visit campnoworries.org.
