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About Us

Opening Campfire

Opening Campfire

Special Days Camps exists to provide a safe and memorable camping opportunity in a medically-supervised environment for children who have experienced cancer and their siblings, servicing the entire family. We offer traditional camping activities, adapted to meet the special needs of our campers.

Special Days Camps is the second longest running oncology camp in the world. Over the years our service to our families has grown – check out what cool programs we have to offer!

Special Days Camps is committed to providing a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where all feel valued, respected, and safe. We recognize the perspectives that each child, family, and volunteer brings to camp and celebrate their unique voices.  Our organization is an inclusive and affirming camp regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or religion.

Our activities are intentionally designed to promote self-esteem, confidence, friendships, teamwork and leadership. Campers are given the opportunity to challenge themselves and develop life skills as they move through our programs. Developing these skills can help them successfully meet the challenges of treatment, school, work and family.

After attending Special Days, campers bring home more than just dirty laundry… they bring home unforgettable memories and long-lasting friendships. They bring home tales of tasks accomplished that before were thought of as unattainable. They come home feeling more confident in themselves and more secure with their illness. It is amazing how one week at Special Days Camps can truly make a difference in their lives!

What Parents Have To Say

  • “I have to say my Mom heart is just so happy and grateful tonight. My daughter has had a HARD year making friends at school and she literally was crying tonight how much she misses the girls in her cabin. She has talked about summer camp from last year so much and winter camp was another amazing experience for her.”

  • “My son met a counselor that is a cancer survivor and it helped him cope with his illness and it gave him hope for the future.”

  • “My daughter always gets pushed aside because attention is focused on her brother, the patient – but at camp, attention was on her.  She loved it!”

  • “Special Days Camps has helped my son build self-esteem and independence by knowing he can go anywhere and not be intimidated because he’s different.”

  • “To be able to not worry for a few days really helped me – knowing my daughter was so well taken care of was a blessing.”

  • “We were 3 months into treatment when the doctors and nurses told us we needed to go to camp.  The idea of sending a kid on chemo to camp seemed unrealistic but we were persuaded and, with a little trepidation, dropped the boys off at camp that summer in 2001.  They loved it and were hooked.  I have no qualms at all in saying that Special Days has helped turn them into the young men they are today. For that, we are forever grateful.