Camp Fiesta Opens For Kids With Cancer
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) – South Florida's first and largest camp for children with cancer kicked off its annual week long summer camp this past weekend at Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale.
Camp Fiesta is the official pediatric oncology camp of the Children's Cancer Caring Center where kids between the ages of 8 and 18 take part in the 9-day, fun-filled sleep away camp where independence away from home and family environment is encouraged, and where children with cancer can be around other children who understand and appreciate the ordeal of battling cancer. Nobody understands that ordeal better than Christy Nelson. She's a 26-year-old counselor at Camp Fiesta.
"I've been coming here for I don't know how many years," said Christy.
At age 3, Christy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. With few resources available to hear, she turned to the Children's Cancer Caring Center. At age 7, after years of treatment, she went into complete remission. It was the end of one journey but the start of another.
"I started just like they were as a little camper and now I'm a counselor, which is amazing," exclaimed Christy.
That's the magic of this camp. While there are lots of fun things to do like volleyball, dodge ball, and dancing; the camp provides real hope for the 50 kids who are attending this year.
"One-hundred-percent of the staff are survivors," explained Camp Fiesta Director Eli Tache. "Kids who are in their 20s but are old enough to be inspirational figures to the younger kids who are going through what they went through many years ago."
Christy summed it up this way.
"It's the only time when you are going through cancer that you can really be yourself because you're always so worried about what everybody else is thinking and outside people that aren't dealing with it don't understand and kids can be mean," said Christy.
One new camper, 9-year-old Bianca, was a little nervous at first but quickly fit in.
"We do lots of sports here which I like and your get to meet lots of people, it's really nice," said Bianca.
"Everybody is so nice and understanding and she fit right in, she's only been here for an hour or two and she's already playing with the girls and having an awesome time," said Christy.
Remarkably, Christy explained that having cancer as a child was the best thing that ever happened to her because it made her the fun-loving and appreciative person she has become.
"I'm so grateful to Lee Klein and all the doctors and all the donors of the CCCC," said Christy.
Her appreciation led her to become a camp mentor, providing real inspiration to campers.
"I survived and they're gonna survive and they feel good and know that there's hope," said Christy.
The kids from Camp Fiesta will spend the week taking part in fun-filled activities at places like Dave & Buster's, Disney World and Universal Studios.
Click here for more information about Camp Fiesta.
