Every month in central Florida, children touched by cancer set up camp for a night to rest, play and support each other on their cancer journey.
Some of the five to 15-year-old campers are cancer patients. Some are the sisters and brothers of cancer patients. Others are the children of cancer patients. No matter how they have been touched by the disease, they all pitch tents under the auspices of BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation in Winter Park, Florida.
Founded in 1982 by Terri Jones, BASE Camp (which stands for Believe, Achieve, Support, Educate) recognizes that cancer affects not just the patient, but the entire family. The organization’s monthly overnighter, which also includes an activity for the whole family, comprises just one of its many programs tailored to meet each family member’s needs.
BASE Camp also delivers food baskets to families and hospital meals to pediatric cancer patients; hosts birthday, ‘End of Chemo!’ and other milestone parties; grants wishes to children suffering a cancer recurrence; and coordinates parent support groups. More than 300 children and their families currently benefit from BASE Camp’s year-round series of activities.
“Terri is tireless in her efforts to help children,” says nominator Nicole Sparkman, who volunteers for BASE Camp with her fellow Staples employees. “She works hard with a very limited budget to make sure these kids and their families have a shoulder to lean on.”
