Inspiration Monday: Camp Sunrise

Happy Monday to all of my lovely readers, I've missed you this past week!  I had an absolutely marvelous week out in Crownsville, MD at Camp Sunrise.  As I mentioned before I left Camp Sunrise is a camp put on by the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center for kids that are either currently in treatment for cancer or who have been in the past.  The camp is free for campers and is entirely run by volunteers.  Also on site is an entire volunteer medical staff with doctors and nurses from Hopkins around the clock - kids can even have chemo done at the camp.

Ropes Course activity (sorry can't put any pics of campers)

This was my first year as a counselor at the camp and it was just such an inspiring and special week.  I can't talk or show pictures of any of the kids because of HIPPA but in general all of the kids were just amazing.  It gave me an entirely new perspective on what it's like to have cancer, especially childhood cancer.  I think I sometimes have put cancer in a place so far away and tried to never think about it because such terrible things can be associated with it.  Being at Camp Sunrise helped me understand that while cancer can be a deadly disease these kids do not let it take over their lives, at least not at camp.  The whole week you didn't really hear a whole lot about cancer, the kids just enjoyed themselves and tried to be kids.

Cabin 4 counselors before the big dance!

There were moments when I would step back and think wow, all of these children that I am around have had or currently have cancer, they are inspirational.  I would look up and half the little girls had no hair and you could see their ports on their chests, but it didn't matter.  They didn't care, they were just happy to be enjoying themselves and running around carefree.  There was one event during the week called Celebration of Life where whoever wanted to took a moment to remember those who had died of cancer or who had won their fight.  That was the only moment in the week where I saw what a toll cancer had taken on these children.  It was a good kind of sad because it is important for all of us to remember those who we've lost or who've won the battle.  I was so amazed though, right after the ceremony a few of my campers were upset and we talked about it a bit, and then 20 minutes later they bounced right back and were ready for the next thing.  I guess that's kids for you.

Matching tie dye t-shirts - love camp tie dye

Anyway, just wanted to share my special week with you all.  If you ever have a chance to do something like this you won't regret it, I promise.  Has anyone done something like this?  What did you think?

Lovely nails done by campers - mine were done by a 5 year old :)

Headed to the beach today, looking forward to some relaxing in the sun :)