Every year since 1988 Children's Cancer Connection has been dedicated to providing week long residential camp for children diagnosed with cancer living or treated in the state of Iowa. We also provide an identical week of camp for siblings of children diagnosed. At Children's Cancer Connection we believe in serving the entire family, for the entire journey! No one is ever charged any amount to come to camp and we work year round to make sure we can provide a magical experience for our campers!
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." - Winston Churchill
Courage in a child means they will be brave as they meet new experiences, difficult situations, and/or dangerous encounters. There may be feelings of fear, anxiety, or apprehension but still they remain courageous. The children I have met through camp are the most courageous individuals I have had the pleasure of knowing.
I have had the pleasure of attending camp for 5 years! My very first week of camp I thought everyone would be afraid, anxious, and sad all week. I could not have been more wrong. These children are some of the happiest children I have ever seen. They appreciate everything they have in life and take on any difficulty with a smile. They are strong. They are leaders. They are advocates. Many of them start fundraising campaigns at their school or community, some even publicly speak at large events to help raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. That takes a lot of courage. I know when I was their age the last thing I wanted to do was stand in front of a large crowd and talk.
You might be asking "What does this have to do with camp?". Camp Heart Connection is a place that helps build that courage. This is why I need your help to send more children to camp. Help more children build up the courage they need to face their dragons head on. Because courage isn't about something magical that happens inside us to make us "not scared". It's about something magical that happens inside us to make us push through fear, self-doubt, anxiety, and do the things that feel hard or risky or frightening. Sometimes, courage only has to happen for seconds at a time - just long enough to be brave.
The truth is, all of these children are slaying their own dragons, everyday. Whether that is cancer or the weight of their sibling being ill. They are heroes, everyone of them. The key is helping them realize it so they can use it to push through their edges when they feel small, scared, confused, or unseen. Because one of the most important parts of being brave, is knowing that somewhere inside of you, 'brave' will be there when you need it, whether you feel it or not.
Children's Cancer Connection and Camp Heart Connection are really important to me, and I am working hard to support them. I would really appreciate your help. No matter the size of the donation anything is helpful. For more information please visit childrenscancerconnection.org or email me. I would love to hear from you!
