APPLING, Ga. () – Camp Rainbow is a summer camp for children who have cancer and their siblings to have fun in a medically safe environment.
Camp Rainbow celebrating its 40th birthday with the annual camp dance.
WellStar Children’s Hospital of Georgia hosts this camp each year at Camp Lakeside.
Kym Allen, Child and Adolescent Services at WellStar Children’s Hospital of Georgia & Camp Director, explains more about Camp Rainbow.
“They have the chance to spend a week at camp where we hope they can momentarily forget about clinics, appointments, lab work, and simply enjoy being kids,” Allen stated.
The nurses whom the children know accompany them to camp to provide medical care, including chemotherapy, ensuring parents feel reassured about their child’s needs being met.
The patients are able to do many activities such as learn archery, kayak, zipline, or go on a rock wall.
Allen says it’s important for these kids to be able to get outside and have these experiences.
“Often, when children are diagnosed, they are pulled out of school, unable to visit places like Target or the mall. Here, they can meet peers who either have or have had cancer, offering a sense of normalcy,” Allen explained.
She tells me her favorite part of the entire week is being able to see kids do activities they never thought they could do.
“I see them when they’re really sick, I see them when they get diagnosed, I see them when they’re really not feeling like doing anything like playing with Legos or playing a game of UNO, and then they come out here and all of a sudden they’re running around, swimming and playing basketball, playing disc golf,” said Allen.
The camp wraps up on Friday.
