News
November 2010
Nursing Student Brings Camp Kesem's Magic to Wisconsin Kids
The 2010 Camp Kesem/UW–Madison staff are (1st row from left) Lauren Saternus (camp therapist), Angela Hodkiewicz, Lauren Simon, Shelby Rubin, Katie Roth (nursing student), Samantha Wierman, Melisa Hergert (camp nurse), and Margot Groenfeldt; (2nd row) Kate Koenig, Elyse DeLaittre, Laura Mannino, Stephanie Free, and Rachel Firestone (camp advisor); (3rd row) Matt Lasky, Cara McShane (pre-nursing student), Katie Cyrzan (nursing student), John Fitzgerald, Marc Egeland, and Sam Sprecher. (Photo Clifford Clauer)Katie Roth didn’t understand what cancer was when she was six years old. She only knew that her dad had it and that it was bad.
“My grandfather had passed away with pancreatic cancer five months before my dad’s diagnosis,” says Roth, who is entering her second year as a nursing student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “So I knew that it had the potential to take my dad away.”
Her dad is now a fifteen-year survivor of colon cancer. The daunting memory of her dad’s health, however, prompted Roth, in part, to co-chair the Camp Kesem/UW–Madison experience for children around Wisconsin.
Camp Kesem is a free, one-week sleep-away camp for children ages 6 to13 who have lost a parent to cancer or have a parent going through treatment. Established by a group of Stanford students in 2001 for young campers in the northern California area, Camp Kesem has now become a national nonprofit organization with chapters at twenty-four universities throughout the country.
The UW–Madison chapter is the first to be established in Wisconsin. Roth, along with co-chair Lauren Simon and eight other UW–Madison students on the chapter’s board, raised more than $17,000 in donations. This funded fifteen young campers for a week’s stay—August 7–12, 2010—at Camp Lakotah, located on Little Hills Lake near Wautoma, Wisconsin.
Roth has been involved in the fight against cancer since 2008, when she joined Colleges Against Cancer (CAC), promoting students’ efforts to bring cancer awareness and education to campuses. The following summer, she took part in the Camp Kesem/Notre Dame experience as a counselor.
“I saw the difference the camp made in their lives—connecting with other kids going through the same thing,” Roth says. “It’s a special bond that even their best friends at home may not relate to. That motivated me to work hard to ensure the success of Wisconsin’s Camp Kesem.”
Kesem, meaning magic in Hebrew, does just what its moniker says: It transforms lives. “The principle behind Camp Kesem,” Roth says, “is to change kids’ lives by giving them the opportunity to focus on all the good stuff that goes along with being a kid while giving them the support system and attention they may need. It’s important for them to realize that it’s okay to have fun, even when there’s cancer in your life.”
Typically, the week’s events centered on physical-style fun, such as swimming, nature hikes, storytelling under the stars, and field games. There were no computer or video games allowed, says Roth. “The limited technology helped them get more involved with the other campers.”
One camp activity was called “cabin chats.” Campers talked about their favorite pursuits and what brings joy to their lives—pets, friends, and usually family. “We never pushed kids to talk about cancer, because they’re trying to escape the stressors at home that accompany cancer,” says Roth, “but the outlet for talking was there if they wanted to.” A therapist was on staff, Roth adds, to help any child who was having a difficult time.
Private donations, a grant from Meriter Hospital, and proceeds from the Kids’ Carnival held this past February through Gilda’s Club in Madison absorbed much of the cost. The UW–Madison students volunteered their time while stipends were paid to the attending nurse and therapist.
By the time the young participants started rolling into Camp Lakotah from homes throughout Wisconsin and even Minnesota, Roth and company were ready. The sixteen counselors had completed training sessions in sensitivity and leadership required by the national organization and had met the required 2:1 ratio of campers to counselors.
The launch of Camp Kesem proved to be all that Roth had hoped for. “I wanted to see the kids develop lasting friendships,” says Roth. “I wanted them to realize that they are not alone and that camp is a place where they can be themselves. I think we accomplished this.”
Although the camp’s legacy is yet to be written, Roth’s gut feeling is positive. “One night, I dreamed that Camp Kesem had a waiting list; there was that much interest,” she explains. “In coming years, I would love to see kids flock to the camp. I’d love to see Camp Kesem affect as many lives as possible.”