What is PCF Camp-a-thon?

Kids helping kids! Every year during their camp season, campers participate in any type of event collecting sponsors and raising money to benefit children with cancer. There are many activities you and your campers can choose from to create your own Camp-a-thon. Some examples are: swim, run, walk or bike, have a tennis match, basketball game, an arts and craft project, a dance marathon, or a simple sing-along. The possibilities are endless and the choice is yours!

We are excited to welcome back our proud supporters:  Camp Lenox, Camp Ramaquois, Camp Robindel and Trails End Camp.

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 If your camp would like to participate and join in our mission, please call us at 914-777-3127 for more information.

Funds raised this summer of 2023 will be used to sponsor the Pediatric Cancer Foundation Developmental Therapeutics Program (PCFDTP) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC)

Pediatric Cancer Foundation Developmental Therapeutics Program (PCFDTP) is to develop and test cutting-edge treatment strategies for children with incurable cancer, resistant to conventional therapies. The PCFDTP also serves as an incubator for precision cancer medicine to provide individually tailored therapies based on a patient’s molecular and genetic characteristics while also serving as a platform for laboratory investigations to identify the various abnormal molecular pathways underlying cancer growth and other molecular changes that may represent novel therapeutic targets for pediatric drug development. Columbia University Irving Medical Center is one of only 21 institutions in North America, and the only institution in the NY, NJ, CT tristate region, approved to offer early drug development trials from the National Cancer to children with relapsed/refractory cancer. Since the program’s inception, 352 patients have enrolled to PCFDTP associated studies. Approximately 75% of the patients receive treatment for solid tumors while the remaining 25% receive treatment for leukemia and lymphoma.


Since 1970, Pediatric Cancer Foundation has been working towards its mission to find a cure for childhood cancer. PCF supports 11 projects at 9 leading research hospitals:  New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center; Feinstein Institute of Medical Research - Northwell Health; Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center; Mount Sinai Health System, The University of Chicago Medicine, Comer Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Children's National Hospital - Children's National Research Institute, Washington, D.C.

History of the Camp-a-thon

In 1996, Natalie and Arthur Kessler, owners and directors of Camp Ramaquois, developed a program where "Children Swim for Children." Their concept was to have children participate and become involved in helping other children. The Kesslers selected Pediatric Cancer Foundation as the best organization for their camp since donations raised would be allocated specifically to help children with cancer. Launching the Swim-a-thon, Camp Ramaquois developed a program, which involved their campers, families, and staff members who tirelessly raised thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer research. Pediatric Cancer Foundation then expanded this Camp-a-thon fundraiser to include other camps. This program has gained momentum and has become a summer tradition.  Now, all of our camp families look forward to participating and sponsoring PCF, all while teaching kids the importance of empathy and kindness.