By Sheri Schmidt, Camp Mom —

When I think about the impact that camp has had on myself and our family the word “community” kept coming to mind. My son Aden was only two when diagnosed, we had a 4-month old and we had a 4-year old. It was a very scary lonely time for us. The support of friends and family is amazing but the support that camp has given us has surpassed that in so many ways.

Camp was a blessing to me because it gave us something to look forward to and a place where I could connect with my family after cancer, treatments, and life tried to divide us. It gave us a new family of friends and counselors who understood our struggles and are still celebrating our milestones with us.

For Aden and Liam, it gave them a sense of normal. What is normal after all? During treatment, you are told you get a “new norm”…as a mom I just wanted my kids to experience what other kids did, to be children, to laugh, and to make memories to last a lifetime.

See, to us camp has never stopped after the week is over. Camp is something we talk about regularly and we continue to look forward to. Camp is our normal, surrounded by the love and support we have become a part of. Camp is community and we couldn’t be more thankful for you.