Everything you know to be true if you’ve experienced the magic of Camp Kesem

Camp Kesem is a nationwide organization that provides a free week-long summer camp to children affected by their parent’s cancer. Each Kesem chapter fundraises throughout the school year in order to put on a week to two weeks of camp in the summer.

Over 5 million kids in the United States are affected by their parent’s cancer, and that’s where Camp Kesem comes in. Camp Kesem fights the monster that is cancer with a week filled with laughter, fun, friendship, gaga, messy Olympics, tie-dye, empowerment, tears, and above all, magic.

Here are all the things you know to be true if you have ever experienced Camp Kesem:

Tie dye is always the answer

At camp, you will need more than all of your fingers and toes to count your tie-dyed shirts, socks and bandanas in your closet. At least you know exactly what to pack for camp without even trying.

Camp songs solve every problem

Camp songs are the answer to everything. What do you do when you’re transitioning to the next camp activity? Sing a camp song. What do you do when you’re in the shower? Sing a camp song. What do you do during meals? Sing a camp song. The only down side is they get stuck in your head regularly. Someone will say a random word like “tree”, and you will immediately sing a camp song with the word tree in it: “Three short neck buzzards, sitting in a dead tree, sitting in a dead tree.”

You can never have too many friendship bracelets

You pretty much spend all of your free time googling new friendship bracelet patterns so you can be the coolest counselor with the best bracelets to give to your campers.

Cancer sucks, but camp doesn’t

Hearing the words, “your parent has cancer” is something no child should hear. A six year old shouldn’t use words like chemo, radiation, remission, and more on a daily basis, but over 5 million kids in the United States do. The good news is you have camp to make it better — camp is the best week ever. End of story.

We’re always under the same moon and stars

Whether you are part of the CKIU chapter or the CKUCLA chapter, we are always under the same moon and stars. Just look up, and know that you’re bonded by Camp Kesem’s magic.

Magic is real and it lives at Camp Kesem

Camp Kesem magic is unexplainable. It is the bond that turns strangers into family. It is the ability to turn a tragedy into the most fun week of the summer. It is the only explanation of how something so awful can lead to the best thing in your life; camp.

Allie, who? Real names don’t exist. Camp names forever

Every Kesem counselor has experienced that awkward moment when you see a Kesem friend on campus and yell, “Hey, SOS!” and get strange looks from bystanders. Or when you’re out with Kesem friends and non-Kesem friends, and you and your Kesem friends keep calling each other by your camp names and have to explain the meaning behind each one.

You never thought you’d have so much pride for a color

“Yellow pump you up, yellow pump you up, say what!?” The competition between which unit color is the best can get dirty, but we all know that the best colors together are green and blue, and that’s all that matters.

You meet your best friends and your family

Campers and counselors alike go into Kesem not knowing anyone or only knowing a few people, but then the week ends in tears because campers can’t wait until next summer to see their friends and counselors, and counselors can’t wait until school starts again to see each other. And let’s be real, at camp you experience a bond that brings you closer together than you are with some of your relatives. When you try to explain to others what your Kesem friends and campers mean to you, there are no words.

The strongest people you know are 6-16 year olds

When you’re in Kesem, the people you look up to are younger than you and you aren’t ashamed of it. Typically when you think of a “kid” you don’t think of them as having gone through the loss of a parent due to cancer, or a parent battling cancer, but Kesem kids have. Only Kesem counselors understand the witty and intelligent insights about life that you’ve only heard from your grandparents before coming to camp.

Messy Olympics is the only time you will enjoy having jelly poured into your hair

Don’t underestimate the name — messy Olympics is the ultimate food fight. A week later and you will still be washing jelly, honey, peanut butter, and more out of your hair.

Cabin chats are the best chats

Nothing compares to a cabin chat. It’s the time when campers and counselors are goofy, play games, and share their cancer stories. It is the bond that makes each unit strong and unique.

Empowerment is heartbreaking, but also the best part of camp

Empowerment is the only time where crying hysterically and smiling ear to ear within the hour is normal. You hear your campers say that they spend most of their time in the hospital with their parents or don’t remember their parent and bawl your eyes out, but then you see campers get up and get a tissue for their friend and fellow camper, and you have never been prouder in your life.

When I look back at my time so far at Indiana University, the first thing that comes to my mind and makes me the happiest is Camp Kesem. As the name suggests, it is truly magical and Camp Kesem love lasts forever. To help support the cause you can donate here.