TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Millions of American children are affected by a parent’s cancer diagnosis every year. There’s an organization that’s helped thousands of them through free programs like summer camp. It’s called Camp Kesem.
Camp Kesem is run by student volunteers at colleges and universities around the country and there’s a chapter at the University of Toledo.
Kesem means magic in Hebrew. And that’s the word most often used to describe the organization that focuses on children impacted by a parent’s cancer. The University of Toledo chapter hosts its summer camp next month. More than 20 kids have already signed up, but there are still more than half a dozen spots open.
For Jenna Ellis and her children, Camp Kesem has been a powerful part of their journey through grief. Jenna’s husband, Bryan, died of brain cancer in 2023. Their children, 12-year-old Annabelle and 9-year-old Landon, will be going to Camp Kesem for the third time this summer.
“It’s very fun. The counselors are very nice. It’s one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Landon Ellis said.
“I can hang out with people who have had the same experience as me,” Annabelle Ellis said.
“It means the world to me to have a place to send my kids for a week away and know they are safe, supported and with kids who understand what they are going through. It’s incredible to see these college students doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. You can tell they genuinely care about the kids,” Jenna Ellis said.
The student volunteers provide year-round programs and services at no cost to families. The overnight camp is one of the biggest parts of that work. As of right now, there are still eight spots open for the camp in June.
Rahil Patel is a co-director of the UT Camp Kesem chapter and he’ll be one of the counselors this year.
“We do a lot of kayaking, canoeing, swimming, dodgeball, archery, and rock climbing. All these activities are put together by us and we want to give that experience to as many kids as possible,” Patel said.
The University of Toledo chapter raised $50,000 through various fundraisers throughout the year. That money makes the magic possible. Jayden Chacko is a co-director of the local chapter and he’ll also be at camp next month.
“Seeing that weight lift off their shoulders, it’s truly transformative, you can’t explain how rewarding it is to see kids able to just be kids again,” Chacko said.
It’s about putting aside their pain for a few days, but also acknowledging it at the same time.
“We give so many opportunities to not just play and forget, but also to talk about their emotions and what they mean to them and learn how to come to terms with that grief,” Patel said.
“We want as many people as possible to feel that Kesem magic and be uplifted by it,” Chacko said.
The camp is set for June 8-13 at a YMCA camp in Belfontaine, Ohio, for kids ages 6-18.
If you’d like to learn more about the camp or make a donation, click here.
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